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Protect yourself from identity theft and​ fraud

Are you doing enough to protect your assets? Don’t make it easy for fraudsters to use your personal data to access your financial and other accounts. We’ve put together a list of ways you can help protect the safety of your identity and your assets – including your Computershare accounts – on and offline, at home and on the go.

You can use our security checklist​ to see common steps you can take to protect yourself from fraud.​

View the Checklist​​

    1. Use the security functions that come with your computer or mobile device, including setting up a password/passcode for access. Learn more.
    2. Schedule a regular calendar slot for making sure security patches, anti-virus and anti-malware software, browser versions, mobile apps and plugins are up to date for all your devices. Learn more​.

    1. Always use the strongest password/passcode possible with a combination of letters, numbers, capitals and special characters. Change your password at regular intervals. For more information on creating secure passwords and passcodes, click here​.
    2. Never leave a written copy of your passwords where they can be easily found near your computer or device, and don’t share passwords or passcodes with anyone.
    3. Never use the same password for more than one account.

  • ​Always use extreme caution when clicking a link in an email from Computershare or any other financial account site, even if the email seems legitimate. If in any doubt, it is better to type in the full URL (web address) directly into your browser. Watch out for emails, even ones that seem to be from entities you trust, that ask for personal or sensitive information. Computershare will never ask you for personal information via email. To learn more about how to identify a suspicious email or website, click here​.

    1. ​Don't use or leave your password or ID information in public view, such as on a sticky note on your computer. And beware of “shoulder surfers” – people behind you who may be watching you as you log in.
    2. Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, such as in a coffee shop or library, for online shopping or logging into financial accounts. If you do need to use a public network for personal business, consider using a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs let you create an encrypted channel within a public network, keeping you safer online. Learn more​.
    3. On shared computers and on mobile devices, always sign out from any website after using your credit or debit card. If you can’t sign off, close your browser to help keep others from accessing your account information as easily.

    1. ​After you have finished with them, be sure to shred documents that contain personal or financial information before throwing them out.
    2. Go paperless. Sign up for online billing and financial statements and direct deposit, to help make sure your personal information – and your money – doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
    3. Notify all your financial institutions of your new address ahead of time if you move – make sure the next person in your home isn’t getting your mail.
    4. Make sure someone you trust will collect your mail for you if you will be away, or sign up for the "Hold Mail" service with the USPS​​​. For more information on this service, click here​.
    5. Missing bills or statements may mean someone is tampering with your mail or your identity. If you suspect something is wrong, report it to the company or financial institution you were expecting mail from as soon as possible, and, if possible, put a lock on your mailbox.
    6. Look out for mail fraud, including chain letters, unsolicited merchandise and offers.

    1. Do not save personal or financial information on websites that lack security features. For more information on how to tell if a website is secure, click here. 
    2. Storing your financial documents on “cloud” services without proper security may make them searchable and accessible to others, exposing your sensitive information. If you need to keep a digital copy of a financial document, consider saving it locally on your computer or on a ‎secure storage device.

    1. Don’t publicly post information that your bank or other financial institutions, such as Computershare, might use to verify your identity such as your address or birthdate. A fraudster might use that information to impersonate you or to persuade you that you know them. 
    2. Review the privacy options for the social mediaplatforms you join to understand how to limit the amount of information you share. For more on using social media safely click here​.

    1. Never give personal or financial information on a call that you did not initiate. Call a company back on their advertised number if you are not sure if it’s definitely them. For more information on phone safety, click here​.
    2. Review your credit report at least once a year to look for unauthorized accounts that are opened in your name. Receive a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus at www.annualcreditreport.com​. Also consider a credit monitoring service.
    3. Make sure your home Wi-Fi is secure by protecting it with a strong password, as you would with any account.
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  • Click here​ for definitions of some common terms people use when talking about fraud and identify theft.

Disclaim​er

The content on this page is provided for informational purpo​​ses and is not intended to provide authoritative information security, data protection, or other professional or legal advice. Links to third party web sites and content do not constitute an endorsement or sponsorship by Computershare and Computershare does not represent or warrant that the contents of those web sites are accurate, compliant with any applicable law, or compliant with copyright or other intellectual property laws. Any reliance on the contents of a third party web site is at your own risk and you assume all responsibilities and consequences resulting from such reliance.