April 2017
According to findings from a study recently released by Javelin Strategy & Research, identity fraud hit a record high last year, increasing by more than 2 million victims over the previous year.
I took some time to read through the study’s findings, and one thing, in particular, jumped out at me: The study found that those who conduct their lives online tend to be subject to fraud more frequently—but they also tend to detect fraud more quickly, resulting in less loss.
For me, the takeaway from that is not that we should stop embracing new online and mobile technologies or conduct our lives only on paper. Rather, my first takeaway is that fraud is something that can easily affect any of us, and I’d prefer to detect it sooner. My other takeaway is that it’s important for each one of us to take an active role in securing our personal information online!
With that in mind, I’d like to share a quick pointer with you today related to online security: Stay connected to your accounts online. This includes not only actively reviewing your accounts through online and mobile banking, but also signing up for things like credit card alerts and account alerts. At Reliant, such alerts are free, so why not set up that added layer of protection? Most of us are more connected than ever, with our phones never more than a few steps away from us, and we should really use that to our advantage. It only takes a few moments to check your Reliant account through our mobile app (and it’s even speedier if you use fingerprint authentication!), so I encourage you to make a habit out of it. I strongly believe that taking an active role in monitoring your account can go a long way in giving you peace of mind.
As you may have gathered from my previous articles, I embrace new technology, and I often encourage others to do the same. I also want to be sure, though, that I encourage you, our members, to be cautious and vigilant when you’re utilizing new technologies so that they are beneficial additions to your lives. we are always looking out for your lives. After all, at Reliant, best interests.
Thank you, as always, for your membership.
Pamela Heald
President & CEO