Happy International Data Privacy Day!
“Without privacy, there was no point in being an individual.” – Jonathan Franzen
Much as we agree on the importance of data, we also cannot rule out the fact that data falling into the wrong hands can be disastrous. This is why Data Privacy Day is celebrated to educate all individuals, companies, firms, collectors, controllers and processors of data on the importance of data privacy and protection, and to clarify the responsibilities of all parties involved.
The idea behind Data Privacy Day (known in Europe as Data Protection Day) is to remind us to make safeguarding our personal information and data a priority, particularly as our dependence on digital technologies increases.
Examples of personal data include – name, address, email address, mobile number, bank account number, national identification number, social security number, bank verification number, etc.
While we continue to put measures in place, it’s always a good idea to be cautious and cyber-smart.
Below are some security tips to aid in ‘owning your privacy’:
1. Use a strong password and do not use the same passwords across all your accounts and devices
We saw a tweet this week that read ‘I have run out of passwords’. We agree that it can be quite exhausting keeping up with different passwords but without a strong password, you risk being a victim of online fraud, an account hijack, a hack or unauthorized access to your data. Regularly review your passwords at least, once every 90 days and do not use the same password across multiple online accounts or applications. Create strong passwords by mixing letters (both upper and lower case), numbers and special characters such as !@#$%^&*(){}[].
2. Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, especially for shopping or making payments
This is a quick avenue for your data to become compromised. Cybercriminals can create faux public networks, thereby intercepting what you do while logged on to the public network or gaining access to your financial information and login credentials. You also expose your device(s) to viruses.
3. Do not share your 16-digit card number (Pan), the security number on the back of your card (Card Verification Value), 4-digit PIN or card expiry date with anyone
Every debit card has a unique security number on the back of the card which can be either 3 or 4 digits. Did you know your CVV and PIN can be used to carry out and complete monetary transactions and purchases online and offline? NEVER share your full pan card details with anyone, especially your unique Card Verification Value (CVV) and PIN. If anyone requests your card information, know that something is fishy.
4. Never share your passwords
Do not generate a token or one-time password (OTP) for anyone through telephone, email, SMS or social media platforms. OTPs are unique passwords that can be used to authenticate users. Do not lose your funds through OTP fraud.
5. Limit how much personal information you share online
Limit the amount of personal information you share online, especially on social media. In the words of Olivia Wilde, “At one point, I thought changing my name would help with privacy, but that was before the internet”. Remember the internet never forgets. You do not need to share your bank verification number or social security number because you want to pay for laundry, for example.
6. Be wary of suspicious links and phishing emails
A lot has been said about phishing links and emails but people still fall victim to these attacks. Phishing attackers deceive their victims to reply to emails, provide information for giveaways, click on links where they fill in their personal information like passwords, login credentials, card details and more. With access to this information, the attackers can do a lot of damage.
7. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on your accounts
Add an extra layer of security to your account by enabling MFA authentication. When all fail, your extra layer of security will be there to protect you from a very ambitious cyber-criminal.
How Flutterwave Secures Your Information
The security of your personal information is important to Flutterwave. We are committed to protecting the information you provide to us. We maintain administrative, technical and physical controls designed to protect the personal information you provide, or we collect against loss or theft, as well as against any unauthorized access, risk of loss, disclosure, copying, misuse or modification. For more information on how we keep your data with us secure, please see the Flutterwave Privacy Policy.
Please note that Flutterwave will NEVER ask you for your full pan card details, passwords, PIN or OTP. If you receive such a request, please report this incident to us immediately through our contact channels.
Your Merchant Information With Flutterwave
Keeping your personal information up to date can help better protect your account with us. If you change the information we hold about you, please notify us at hi@flutterwavego.com so that we can update our records.
Happy International Data Privacy Day or Happy Data Protection Day (if you are in Europe) and remember, privacy starts with you. Stay vigilant!