How Well Does Your Password Protect?

Passwords are everywhere. We use them for everything from your ATM card to your home security system. Sometimes it's hard to keep them all straight.

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Passwords may be a hassle, but they are one of the best defenses against identity theft. The problem is, all too often we take the easy way out and use a weak password that is easily guessed by cyber thieves. Protect yourself from the headache of cleaning up an identity theft mess and choose strong passwords for all your needs. The key to a strong password, according to Microsoft, is to use a variety of characters and make it both random and lengthy. The greater the variety, the better:

Combine letters, numbers, and symbols. Each character you add increases your protection from fraud. A password without symbols needs to be considerably longer to have the same degree of protection as an eight-character password with symbols.

Randomly capitalize some letters. Sprinkle them throughout your password.

Stray from typical symbols. Don't forget about punctuation marks, slashes, dashes and brackets – symbols not on the upper row of your keyboard.

Use a phrase or sentence to help you remember. Here's one example, "My #1 dog is a cross between Boxer/Lab," becomes the password "m#1diacbB/L." Remember this phrase and you won't forget this seemingly random combination of letters, numbers and symbols.

Avoid easy-to-guess passwords. This includes your login name, sequences (123456789), or look-alike characters (M@ddie).

If you have any questions or want more specific
information you can either contact RCU Member Service
at member_services@rcu.org, call 715-833-8111, or
800-341-9911 or contact Randy Beck, EVP Risk
Management at 715-833-8161.

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