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The digital world can spell a lot of trouble for your money. Even though we’ve become comfortable with using cards and computers, there are still quite a few threats out there, with more emerging all the time. So, just like you’d go out of your way to prevent falling into debt, you should put the same effort in when it comes to using your digital finance platforms.
Anything from internet banking to online trading platforms to crypto wallets, you need to be sure you’re secure! And to help you do that, we’ve collected together the points below. You should know where the potential threats lie, and what you can do about them while you still can.
Always Make Sure Someone is Who They Say
It might sound like an obvious thing, but it’s scary how easily a person can be sucked in by someone who simply looks like they know what they’re talking about. So do yourself a favor and go the extra mile to verify a person’s identity. And do this before you click through to anything they’ve sent you, whether by message or email, or if they offer to get you in touch with someone else.
You can always tap the website they want you to visit into Google to see if it’s real, and if so, if it’s secure. And you can do the same with a person’s name and face too, if they’re someone you’ve never spoken to before. A bit of background research can go a long way to making you feel safer!
Do Plenty of Research into Crypto
The world of crypto is still relatively new, and it’s one that can be incredibly volatile. As such, you should always do plenty of research into the cryptocurrency you’re thinking of purchasing. You need to know how long the currency has been around, what purpose it serves, and you should be able to track down the whitepaper for it. A whitepaper is a bit like a business plan; it outlines what the currency is and why it’s been brought into the market.
You should also make sure you’re using a secure trading platform. Ideally, one that has a long history of providing safe services for its users. Indeed, if you’re wondering how to protect your crypto wallet, it’s essential to find the right wallet in the first place! So take your time here. Don’t rush into the crypto world because it seems to move fast – do plenty of research first.
Double Check the Websites You Shop Through
Your credit details are very valuable, for obvious reasons. As such, scammers will go to great lengths to get ahold of them, including building fake websites that steal your details when you shop with them. They may even post fake links to websites you’ve used time and time again to capture your details when you put them through this time around.
So to make sure you don’t lose any money to a broken encryption layer, always double-check you’re using the right website. Make sure you’ve typed the URL in right and make sure the SSL layer is clear to see. These are two incredibly easy ways to keep your cash safe when shopping online, and will soon come to be second nature to you.
Use a Double Layer of Payment Protection
If you do fall for a scam of any kind, don’t panic. It can happen to anyone, and it’s something we may all have to face at some point in our life. After all, scam websites pop up all the time, offering low, low prices or impersonating another website you’ve reliably shopped with before. But that’s where a double layer of payment protection comes in; websites such as PayPal are a good shout here.
You’re technically buying through a merchant when you choose this option at checkout, meaning there’s someone else there to prevent your details from going awry. And these platforms have security checks of their own, such as two-factor authentication and identity verification to make sure you’re paying money to the right website. This extra layer has saved countless people in the past from fraud.
Keeping your money safe is a full-time job in the digital world. However, you can make it much easier by being proactive, and taking steps like those above. Make sure you’re always aware of what websites you’re using, and sign up to payment portals that’ll put your credit details behind another layer of protection.
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