As heard on MPR
with Angela Davis & Eric Brown 4/17/23
Checklist of items and actions to improve your personal security:
For more information on any of these topics, check out our Podcast “Personal Information Security Protection in a Modern Era" (linked below)
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Freeze Credit with all four bureaus (Equifax, Experian, Innovis, TransUnion) Request a free credit report once/year – Contact each bureau individually to setup the freeze.
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Check personal email addresses https://www.haveibeenpwned.com
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Implement Multi Factor Authentication on all important accounts.
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Store passwords in a password manager (ex: 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane)
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Consider a non-commercial email address with a consumer "spam" email. (ex: protonmail, Tutanota)
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Consider a phone number alias (Google Voice, Burner app )
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Consider a paid VPN client if you use your computer in more than one location (ex: Private Internet Access, Proton VPN)
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Change your home WiFi password from the default
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Consider a credit card masking service or using virtual credit cards (Blur, Capital One ENO)
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If you suspect that your SSN has been used for tax-related, new account or other fraud, file a police report, then file an identity theft affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission and IRS.
The Audit Podcast Episodes
To learn more, join us in exploring the dark web in Episode 13 and take a deep dive into our four part series on protecting your personal information in Episodes 2-5. Find all episodes of The Audit here.