5 Ways to Protect Your Capital One Card Login

These days, identity theft is more prevalent than ever before. Scammers can gain access to your accounts with the barest amount of information, which can wreak havoc on your life and your finances. However, there are steps you can take to protect yourself against these threats. Here are a few methods that can help protect your Capital One login against potential malicious scammers.

1. Shred everything.

When you receive credit card information in the mail, destroy it. Glean whatever information is necessary from the letter and then run it through the shredder. Don’t simply throw the letter away; mail can be fall from trash bags, leaving it on the ground for anyone to read. On the other hand, a shredded document is much more difficult to reassemble and read.

2. Set up fraud alerts.

Capital One provides its customers with free fraud alerts. Enable this on your account and link it to your phone number; you’ll receive a call or text message the moment a potentially fraudulent charge is detected. These alerts can lock down your account until you check in with the company and give them the go-ahead to keep working. It’s important to address any fraudulent charges as quickly as possible, as the sooner you take action the more likely it is the person behind the charge can be caught and your money returned.

3. Take care online.

There are many reasons you may enter your information online. However, you must be particularly vigilant to ensure the site you’re entering your information on is legit. Check the URL bar; if it doesn’t say “HTTPS” in the bar (most only say HTTP), then don’t enter any sensitive information. The “S” means it is secured through SSL protection. You should also take care to use strong passwords and change them on a regular basis.

There are additional steps you can take, such as installing a personal firewall to keep hackers out, and keeping your antivirus programs up to date. Ensure you run regular checks on your system to detect any threats you may have picked up through downloads. Malware can hide in the most innocuous of places.

4. Keep your PIN private.

Many credit cards now require a PIN as well as a signature. You may need to enter this PIN online. Make sure you don’t write it down or store it in your wallet; instead, memorize the PIN. If there is no physical proof of what your PIN is, you greatly reduce the chance that someone can acquire it. With new layers of security requiring a PIN for even the most basic of transactions, keeping it secure can mean the difference between allowing someone access to your accounts and keeping your money safe.

5. Monitor your transactions.

Keeping an eye on your credit card transactions is important. Many identity thieves don’t make large purchases. They’ll work within the confines of the fraud alert programs to avoid tipping them off, instead charging a number of smaller purchases over time. Many thieves can be people close to you, who know what your buying habits are; in these cases, they’re likely to make purchases similar to what you would so that nothing looks amiss. However, if you notice a charge you did not make, contact your credit agency immediately.

While nothing can guarantee a particularly enterprising scammer won’t somehow acquire your information, following these five tips can greatly reduce the chances that someone will make off with your credit card login. It’s important to be particularly careful in today’s world. While it may be tiring, it’s well worth it to keep your money safe.