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Every day, you hear about scammers, hackers, and thieves trying to use the internet to steal your money and your financial information. The fact is, you, me, we— can foil many of their attempts. Every day, we do things to make it tough for bad guys to break into our homes and our cars. We can make it tougher for them to break into our computers too. Here are some ways to foil a hacker and protect your financial information.


Install security software on your computer. Well-known companies offer plenty of free options. Set the software to update automatically so it can deal with any new security threats. While you’re at it, set your operating system and web browser to update automatically too. If you’re not sure how, use the Help function and search for “Automatic Updates.”


If you get a phone call, an email, a text, or a popup that says your computer has a virus or malware, don’t buy the story, or the security software they’re selling. It could be a trick— to get you to buy software that’s worthless or even harmful.


Treat your financial information like cash. It’s a hot commodity! If someone asks for your financial information, say your social security, credit card, or bank account number, ask why they need it and how they’re going to protect it. 


If you think you found a good deal online, but you aren’t familiar with the company, dig a little deeper!