There’s no doubt that convention going is one of the hallmarks of being a GeekMom. For many of us, there’s nothing quite so rad as getting lost in crowds, rubbing elbows with the brightest in fandom, and getting to meet some of our best friends (many of whom you rarely get to see outside of the online world).
But having attended some of the largest conventions in North America, like Dragon Con and PAX, I know that there’s a variety of worries that plague even the savviest of moms among us, especially when it comes to theft and our devices. We’ve so integrated our technologies into our lives that we literally carry them with us—and not just physically, but digitally, too. Our smartphones and tablets are connected in a myriad of ways to our credit card and banking information.
With early fall shopping coming into play, and all the sales ramping up—not to mention new products around every bend—we’re just adding a new layer of potential risk to the pool. Did you remember to lock your iPhone after you let your kids play with it? Did you secure it in your backpack pocket after you left the subway? If it gets into the wrong hands, something that can happen in literally seconds, what then?
No, we can’t be everywhere at once. And we’re not flawless. I only recently started putting better security on my phone and iPad after realizing I was a little bit of a sitting duck. With October being National Cyber Security Awareness Month, there’s really no better time to take extra steps toward preventing ID theft.
- Lock down your devices. Don’t leave them without passwords. And don’t keep them with the same passwords, either.
- Use a service like Lastpass to add an extra layer of security and encryption to your fingerprint.
- Connected with, the last one, try not to store your passwords in your browser. That potentially gives someone the keys to your kingdom (especially considering how much our various devices are linked!).
- Consider ID Theft protection. If you’ve got devices, you’ve got risk. ID theft protection is available from Protect Your Bubble, and sets you back a mere $7.99/month. It includes credit monitoring and alerts, resolution services, emergency travel services, and more. In honor of National Cyber Security Awareness month, they are offering 10% off a purchase. To take advantage of the special offer, use promo code IDTheft10 at checkout.
With so many points of entry for ID thieves, it’s essential that you’re protected. A few precautions and a fallback like ID Theft protection from Protect Your Bubble, and you won’t have to sweat the small stuff if the worst happens.
This post is brought to you by our sponsor, Protect Your Bubble. Visit their website for a full list of offerings.
