Do you know what is going on with your digital assets? How would you know if someone used your email address to get access to your credit card information? If you don’t have an answer to that question, you’ve come to the right place! On this episode, you’ll hear from my returning guest, Devin Kropp as we continue with part two of our conversation about how to protect your money from hackers. You can click here to catch part one of our conversation. 

For Devin, the topic of hacking and identity theft is personal, she first experienced the shock associated with identity theft as an 11-year-old in 2002. Just before Christmas, hackers stole her father's debit card information and sold it to a thief in Spain, who drained several thousand dollars from the account. 

As a millennial, Devin is a digital native. She started computer classes in elementary school, received her first PC in the fifth grade, and participated in one of the nation's first e-learning experiments equipping students with laptops. Devin is a graduate of Binghamton University (SUNY) where she studied English and journalism, and played wing and scrum-half for the Women's Rugby Club. She joined Horsesmouth in 2013 as an associate editor. Devin lives in Manhattan.

Make sure to have pen and paper handy, you are going to need them as Devin shares some valuable insights that you don’t want to miss!

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You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Why you need to know what is going on with your finances [1:30] 
• How hacks and data breaches impact everyday people. [3:00] 
• Why texts and email alerts are so helpful [5:00] 
• Identify theft and dealing with its aftermath [9:00] 
• Protecting your children’s credit. [11:00] 
• Using a credit monitoring service. [14:00] 
• Protecting yourself by fighting your impulses [16:30]
• How to avoid getting blackmailed with your own data [19:00]
• Closing thoughts [21:00] 

Take ownership of your cybersecurity 

If you’ve been following me for very long, you know that I am all about informing and empowering people like you to make the right financial decisions based on the data available. Too often people get overwhelmed about the complexities of personal finance so they’d rather keep it at an arm's length away, often to their own detriment. According to Devin, many people have a similar attitude when it comes to their cybersecurity. Don’t look for a silver bullet - it doesn’t exist! There are a ton of helpful tools and tips that will get you headed in the right direction but at the end of the day, you have to take ownership of your cybersecurity. To hear Devin and continue our conversation on this critical topic, make sure to listen to this episode! 

Freezing your credit

Did you know that you can actually “Freeze” your credit? It’s true! A credit freeze is a free tool you can use to help protect yourself from credit fraud resulting from identity theft. A credit freeze blocks most companies from accessing your credit report until you lift it, or "thaw" your credit.

When you freeze your credit reports, it makes it harder for criminals who may have stolen your personal credentials (account numbers, passwords, Social Security number, and the like) to commit credit fraud by taking out loans or credit cards in your name. 

While some may think of this step as extreme, the truth is, it is a proactive rather than a reactive approach. Join Devin and me as we expand on this topic and so much more! 

Resources Mentioned on This Episode

• Book: Hack-Proof Your Life Now - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXP4Q7O/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
• Devin Kropp - Associate Editor - Horsesmouth | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/devin-kropp-50040238/