Protect Your Accounts

Start by checking for operating system updates (Windows or MacOS). We recommend turning on automatic updates to ensure you get critical security patches as quickly as possible. Then update your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc.). Finally, update any other software you use on your computer such as Microsoft Office, Java, Adobe Acrobat and antivirus software.

Choose antivirus software from a reputable publisher and keep it updated. There are many fake antivirus solutions around, so make sure you research the publisher before you buy. Learn to prevent, detect and remove malicious software with these malware tips from the FTC.

Don’t respond to emails or texts requesting personal information. Legitimate individuals and companies will not require you to provide or verify sensitive information via a non-secure means such as email. If you have any doubt at all, contact the individual or company and verify the information over the phone. If you have received what appears to be a phishing email from someone pretending to be a Mountain America employee, do not respond to the request. Instead, forward the email as an attachment to phishing@macu.com, and we will take appropriate action.

Thieves can be experts at copying names, URLs and web pages of legitimate institutions. Contact the institution directly if you have questions about a site’s legitimacy.

Manage your privacy settings for mobile apps and online accounts. It’s the best way to ensure you aren’t giving companies or other merchants access to information you want to keep private.

Avoid using free Wi-Fi networks if possible—especially in high-traffic areas such as airports, cafes and other similar locations. They are prime targets for hackers. If you must use an open Wi-Fi network, only visit secure sites that begin with https.

Be aware of what you are sharing through social media and wearables such as fitness trackers and the Apple Watch. Log out of social media and other apps when you are not using them, and don’t keep them open in your browser. Set your privacy settings so only your friends can see what you are posting.

A firewall helps protect your computer from unwanted intrusions. Most operating systems (Windows, MacOS, etc.) have a firewall included, but it may not be enabled. Check the Help section of your operating system for instructions on enabling and configuring the firewall. Many wireless routers used at home also have firewall functionality. Check the router documentation for details.

You should not use the same password for multiple websites. Many hackers who steal passwords will try to use them to log in to other sites, or they will post them in an online forum for others to use. You can securely store all your passwords so you don’t have to remember them by installing a password manager. A master password must be chosen to gain access to the password manager. Make your master password difficult to guess and never write it down.

Avoid using birthdates, pet names, phone numbers, single words found in a standard dictionary (any language), family members’ names or anything that may be guessable with minimal research. Don’t use a password more than once, and don’t write them down. Instead, use a mixture of capital and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, and make sure to use a minimum of eight characters.

Multiple members on the same account at Mountain America can have individual online passwords, so there is no reason to share a password. Don’t even give your password to an employee of Mountain America. We will never ask for it.