Online Security

Before you do anything on your credit union’s website, ensure the URL is correct. Many scammers use URLs that deliberately look very similar to a real credit union, but link to a copycat website. Scammers hope to lure you into the “evil twin” website to trick you into giving them personal information such as your account number and password.

If you have doubts that you’re on the right page you can retype the URL into your browser, conduct an internet search for your credit union’s name, and see if the same website is in the top listing. You can also read the website’s “About Us” section to look for a brief history of the credit union, address and information about its insurance coverage.

Kids have lots of opportunities for socializing online, but they come with certain risks. Parents can help reduce these risks by talking to kids about making safe, responsible decisions.

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) helps you protect your children's privacy. Enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), COPPA requires websites to get parental consent before collecting or sharing information from children who are under 13 years old.

Take advantage of your COPPA rights. Your child's personal information is valuable, and you can do a lot to protect it.

The FTC’s Net Cetera online toolkit offers free resources to help you teach people in your community about kids’ online safety. Regardless of your experience as a speaker — or your expertise in online safety — this kit has the resources and information you need to convey key points about kids' online safety (opens new window).

How you use it is up to you: give a presentation (opens new window) to parents or teachers, play the videos (opens new window) in a classroom, and order our free booklets (opens new window) and distribute to schools or libraries.

Check out (opens new window) the free resources for parents, teachers and kids.

Keep Your Transactions Secure. The Internet is a public network. Therefore, it is important to learn how to safeguard your credit union account information, credit card numbers, Social Security number and other personal data.

Secure Your Computer.

Clicking on the wrong link can leave you open to scammers, hackers, and identity thieves. Learn experts' top tips for how to protect your information and your computer while online. Read more(opens new window).

Think Before You Click.

Receive an email claiming you can get a very low interest rate on a mortgage if you just click on the link? See an ad on a website that promises you can erase a negative credit score with just one click? Following suspect links like these can lead to a website with a virus designed to steal your information.

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

The internet gives you access to countless products and services. At the same time, it can leave you open to scammers, hackers, and identity thieves. Learn experts' top tips for how to protect your information and your computer while online. Read more(opens new window).

Simple Tips

• Double your login protection. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that the only person who has access to your account is you. Use it for email, banking, social media, and any other service that requires logging in. If MFA is an option, enable it by using a trusted mobile device, such as your smartphone, an authenticator app, or a secure token—a small physical device that can hook onto your key ring. Read the Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) How-to-Guide for more information.
• Be up to date. Keep your software updated to the latest version available. Maintain your security settings to keeping your information safe by turning on automatic updates so you don’t have to think about it, and set your security software to run regular scans.
• If you connect, you must protect. Whether it’s your computer, smartphone, game device, or other network devices, the best defense against viruses and malware is to update to the latest security software, web browser, and operating systems. Sign up for automatic updates, if you can, and protect your devices with anti-virus software. Read the Phishing Tip Sheet for more information.
• Play hard to get with strangers. Cyber criminals use phishing tactics, hoping to fool their victims. If you’re unsure who an email is from—even if the details appear accurate— or if the email looks “phishy,” do not respond and do not click on any links or attachments found in that email. When available use the “junk” or “block” option to no longer receive messages from a particular sender.
• Never click and tell. Limit what information you post on social media—from personal addresses to where you like to grab coffee. What many people don’t realize is that these seemingly random details are all that criminals need to know to target you, your loved ones, and your physical belongings—online and in the real world. Keep Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords private, as well as specific information about yourself, such as your full name, address, birthday, and even vacation plans. Disable location services that allow anyone to see where you are—and where you aren’t—at any given time. Read the Social Media Cybersecurity Tip Sheet for more information.
• Keep tabs on your apps. Most connected appliances, toys, and devices are supported by a mobile application. Your mobile device could be filled with suspicious apps running in the background or using default permissions you never realized you approved—gathering your personal information without your knowledge while also putting your identity and privacy at risk. Check your app permissions and use the “rule of least privilege” to delete what you don’t need or no longer use. Learn to just say “no” to privilege requests that don’t make sense. Only download apps from trusted vendors and sources.
• Stay protected while connected. Before you connect to any public wireless hotspot—such as at an airport, hotel, or café—be sure to confirm the name of the network and exact login procedures with appropriate staff to ensure that the network is legitimate. If you do use an unsecured public access point, practice good Internet hygiene by avoiding sensitive activities (e.g., banking) that require passwords or credit cards. Your personal hotspot is often a safer alternative to free Wi-Fi. Only use sites that begin with “https://” when online shopping or banking.

Want to learn more about online privacy and security. Then, check out the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (opens new window) (NICCS).

Shake up your password protocol. According to NIST (opens new window) guidance, you should consider using the longest password or passphrase permissible. Get creative and customize your standard password for different sites, which can prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to these accounts and protect you in the event of a breach. Use password managers to generate and remember different, complex passwords for each of your accounts. Read the Creating a Password Tip Sheet for more information.