Keep Your Data Safe

October 23, 2014

It seems like every week brings another consumer alert. Another store has experienced a credit card data breech. Consumers may be wondering when, not if, their favorite store will be affected, if it hasn’t been already.

In fact, creditcard.com recently released the results of a survey that said 45 percent of adults who shop with credit or debit cards would not shop in a store this holiday season if it previously suffered a data breach.

So how can you avoid compromising your personal data without shunning retail stores? Here are some tips:

1. Use your debit card as a credit card. Instead of entering your pin, select the credit option. You’ll have all the same protection as a regular credit card.
2. Make sure you sign the back of your card! (No further explanation needed)
3. If shopping online, take a minute to look at the Web address. It should start with “https://”. “HTTPS, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, makes it more difficult for hackers, the NSA, and others to track users. The protocol makes sure the data isn't being transmitted in plain-text format, which is much easier to eavesdrop on.”
4. Avoid using public Wi-Fi to make transactions.
5. Use cash. It’s an obvious way to avoid having your personal information hacked and stolen.