Learn, Prepare and Prevent
Resources for Financial Literacy, Budgeting, Fraud and More
Make every cent count
- Be wary of unsolicited emails and telephone calls asking for personal information. Never share personal information, such as your Social Security number, in response to an unsolicited email or telephone call. If the email or call claims to be from a company with which you do business, confirm the contact is legitimate.
- Secure mobile devices. Apply software updates that patch known vulnerabilities as soon as they become available. Use security features built into your devices such as a passcode and use programs that encrypt data and remotely wipe contents if the device is lost or stolen.
- Be careful with Wi-Fi hotspots. Public wireless hotspots are not secure, which means that anyone could potentially see what you are doing on your mobile device while you are connected. Limit what you do on public Wi-Fi and avoid logging into sensitive accounts.
- Know your apps. Thoroughly review the details and specifications of an app before downloading it. Review and understand the privacy policy of each mobile app and be aware that the app may request access to your location and personal information.
- Be cautious about the information you share on social media. Avoid posting your birthdate, telephone number, home address or images that identify your job or hobbies. This information may often reveal answers to security questions used to reset passwords, making you a possible target of scammers looking to access your accounts and secure information.
- Use strong passwords. Create different passwords for all your accounts. Use 10 to 12 characters in a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers and symbols. Individuals should regularly change their passwords.
- Change your security questions. Don’t use the same security questions on multiple accounts. Be careful to select security questions for which only you know the answer. Make sure the answers cannot be guessed or found by searching social media or the internet.
- Turn on two-step verification to access accounts. To enhance the security of an account, require your password and an extra security code to verify your identity whenever you sign in to your accounts, where available.
- Beware of phishing. Do not click on links, download files or open attachments in emails from unknown senders. It is best to open attachments only when you are expecting them and know what they contain, even if you know the sender
NCUA’s Financial Literacy and Education Resource Center for every stage of life. Click the image to the left for topics such as Saving & Investing, Money 101, Retirement, Life Events, Budget Worksheets and more!
Your Money Your Goals – Start saving today with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Savings Booklet and Boot Camp. The Boot Camp is a six step email course that provides the foundation you need to start saving – one small step at a time!
America Saves, a campaign managed by the non-profit Consumer Federation of America, motivates, encourages, and supports low-to-moderate income households to save money, reduce debt and build wealth.
Scams! Your hear about them on the news, from your neighbors and friends. Learn about recent scams and how to recognize the warning signs. Read the Federal Trade Commission’s most recent alerts or browse scams by topic.
Financial Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies. It is important to have an emergency savings and documents ready! Taking the time now to collect and secure critical financial records will give you peace of mind. Ready.gov has valuable tips to help you get ready!
Practical Money Skills by Visa offers free, top-quality and easily accessible financial education materials for every skill level and age, from children to adults.
Smart About Money is one of the many programs of the National Endowment for Financial Education®. NEFE® is an independent, nonprofit foundation committed to educating Americans on a broad range of financial topics and empowering them to make positive and sound decisions to reach their financial goals.
