Digital technology is constantly evolving, and so are hacking and fraud attempts. With increasing change and complexity, individuals need to be aware of best practices for electronically sending personal information. Unfortunately, email is not a secure method of transfer for confidential or personally identifiable information. In the event of an email breach or hack, everything contained in emails can be at risk to a hacker. Here are some recommendations to protect personal identity and the security of accounts.
What SHOULD NOT be sent over email:
- Your SSN in whole or part
- Passport numbers
- Foreign visa numbers
- Tax information or documents
- Credit reports
- Banking information
- Credit or debit card number
- Login credentials and passwords
- Financial documents and statements
- Account applications with account numbers
- Full account numbers (in general – as attachment or in an email itself)
If you are a client of Callan Capital, we recommend using our secure client portal when sending any documents or messages that contain the above information. If you are not a client of Callan Capital, we recommend sending information through a secure portal like Dropbox, password protecting files and verbally providing the password or encrypting files.
In addition, when receiving an email, take notice of the sender’s email address to ensure it is from a valid source. Verify the email address is from a legitimate website, contains no misspellings, or the sender is known to you. Make sure all hyperlinks and attachments are authentic before downloading, as hackers have used these techniques to gain access to your computer. Technology has allowed hackers to use minor changes in email addresses or websites to disguise themselves in attacking any electronic device that have internet access. Callan Capital is committed to investing resources in up-to-date technology and cybersecurity. If you have any questions, please do hesitate to contact us.
Important Disclaimers: Callan Capital does not provide individual tax or legal advice, nor does it provide financing services. Clients should review planned financial transactions and wealth transfer strategies with their own tax and legal advisors. For more information, please refer to our most recent Form ADV Part 2A which may be found at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.