With identity fraud becoming a constant threat, safeguarding your retirement and other online accounts is more important than ever. You work hard today to save for a comfortable tomorrow. Don’t let the bad guys get their hands on one single penny of your hard-earned safety net.
Think about a time when you noticed a charge on your credit card you didn’t recognize, or the balance in your checking account didn’t look right. Not a pleasant feeling, was it? Now imagine if that happened to your retirement savings, where the balances are typically much higher. Stressful stuff to say the least.
The good news: You have the power to protect your savings, your identity, and your good reputation. And Alight has the expertise and tools to help.
Data security for human capital
Protecting your human capital data with everything we have
Identity fraud protection pays off
Follow these five simple steps to protect yourself from identity fraud and prevent your life savings from falling into the wrong hands.
- Get password savvy
Today’s internet crooks eat weak passwords for breakfast. Alight encrypts passwords for extra protection, but it’s still important to do what you can to stay a step ahead. Be sure to use a unique password for each of your online accounts. And make those passwords complex by using a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.
Security pro tip: Right now, while it’s on your mind, take a few minutes to make sure the password for each of your critical online accounts is unique and complex.
- Stay alert and connected
Alight is dedicated to monitoring and responding to suspicious activity on your Alight accounts. But it’s still a good idea to regularly check your accounts and keep your contact information updated. If you notice any suspicious activity — like account changes you didn’t make or transactions you didn’t approve — alert us immediately. And if you suspect your retirement account has been compromised, take time to change your passwords for all your critical accounts, including online banking and credit cards.
Security pro tip: Sign up for text alerts that immediately notify you of any changes to your accounts to help you stay ahead of trouble.
- Be wary of strangers
As online protections have increased, fraudsters have turned to the phone to do their dirty work. Don’t provide them with information that could make stealing your identity easier. Account numbers, security phrases, passwords and PINs should never be shared. And never click on links in texts or emails from senders you don’t recognize or trust.
Security pro tip: Add trusted phone numbers and SMS text short-codes for your accounts on your mobile phone so you can quickly recognize fraudulent calls and texts.
- Multi-factor for extra power
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a mighty fraud fighter. Alight requires MFA for all online transactions by adding a one-time code or biometric authenticator, e.g. fingerprint or face-ID scan via our mobile app, to traditional verification processes like username and password. And make sure the contact points you use for multi-factor authentication — like your mobile and home phone line — are secure to prevent one-time codes from being intercepted or diverted.
Security pro tip: Visit each of your critical online accounts to determine if they offer MFA and, if they do, enable it.
- Operate up to date
The operating systems on your devices are periodically updated to patch any security holes. Be sure to install those updates to stay fully protected. And don’t forget to enable device security and anti-spyware protection on your devices to prevent malicious software from grabbing your data.
Security pro tip: Set your devices to automatically update their operating systems so you know you’re always running the latest set of protections.
Building a secure future by protecting your retirement savings
At Alight, we take the security and protection of every single retirement account seriously. Every day, we focus on making sure our security measures meet and exceed industry best practices. And we’re constantly adapting, innovating and investing in new security measures to ensure we’re staying ahead of the ever-changing threat landscape.
With an intelligent layered security model, multi-factor authentication, real-time fraud detection capabilities, and security alerts when account changes happen, protecting your financial future is a top priority at Alight. And that means you can keep planning for a bright tomorrow with a bit more peace of mind, today.
