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Technology is always advancing, and more aspects of our daily lives are moving to digital, especially in the financial industry. Unfortunately, that also means cyber threats are constantly evolving, making cybersecurity a crucial part of keeping our private and personal information safe.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a campaign designed to raise awareness of the importance of reducing cyber fraud risks. There are simple steps you can take to stay one step ahead of scammers and keep your private information secure:

Be Alert for Spoofing and Phishing

Spoofing and phishing messages are the most popular ways for scammers to lure sensitive information from you.

Spoofing is where scammers appear to be a legitimate, trusted source by using deceptive emails, texts, social media messages, or phone calls — called phishing messages — to ask for your personal information or request that you click on a link or download an attachment.

It can be difficult to identify phishing messages if scammers are good at spoofing. Remember to never click on or download anything in an unsolicited message, and never provide your account numbers, personal information, or username and passwords to an unverified source. If you receive a message that you suspect is phishing, report it immediately to law enforcement. If it deals with your finances, contact your financial institution.

Strengthen Your Passwords

Simple passwords can make hacking your account easier for fraudsters. Reset your passwords periodically and always make them long (15 characters or more) with all character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols). A passphrase can also be used for extra security.

Making unique passwords for all your accounts can be a lot to remember, but you should always turn off the “Save Password” feature in browsers. Your safest option is to leave your password protection to password managers, like 1password, Lastpass, or KeePass. They generate encrypted passwords for every website you use. You then create one master password to use for logging in to all your accounts.

Turn On Multi-Factor or Two-Factor Authentication

As you’re strengthening your passwords, opt in to multi-factor or two-factor authentication whenever possible. These are additional layers of security that require you to provide multiple forms of authentication after you enter a username and password, such as a one-time code sent to your email or facial recognition.

Be Mindful of the Information You Share

Over-sharing on social media has become a popular way for criminals to steal both personal information and material possessions. By consistently sharing what you’re doing, thinking, and even your location, fraudsters can follow your every move without much effort. Be cautious about what you’re sharing on social media, including in quizzes that ask for information that may seem harmless, like what your first car was. The details shared in these quizzes can be easily used to guess answers to common security questions or passwords.

It’s also important to be wary about where you’re shopping online. Scammers can set up fake stores that look credible, but you’ll never see the goods you’re purchasing, and they’ll have the payment information you use. Stick with verified sellers and search for customer reviews.

Update Software

Software updates are necessary for more than just bug fixes — they’re also critical for minimizing security risks. Whenever your device notifies you that it’s due for an update, install it as soon as possible. You can also turn on automatic updates on most devices, so the updates will be installed for you.

Track Your Finances

When scammers attempt to steal your personal information, they try to get one thing: your money. It’s important to monitor your accounts regularly so you can spot any potential irregularities and report any unauthorized activity immediately. To help keep track of your accounts in real time, sign up for digital banking and utilize free mobile banking app services.

Ascend members receive fraud alerts when there is any suspicious activity in their accounts, and we offer card controls that allow you to lock or unlock your cards and set up purchasing rules.

To learn more helpful fraud prevention tips, visit Ascend.org/fraud.

Ascend is federally insured by the NCUA. Rik Reitmaier is Ascend Chief Information Officer.