You can reduce the risk of account takeover and identity theft by securing logins, limiting what you share, and keeping devices current. Strong security, cautious sharing, scam awareness, and maintained devices help protect personal information online, though no steps promise perfect safety.
Shopping, messaging, and using apps can expose details about you to hackers, scammers, or companies. The practical steps here can help you make safer choices without avoiding the internet or every new service. Even a few consistent habits can make it harder for an opportunistic scammer to misuse exposed details.
How to Protect Personal Information Online With Strong Account Security
A unique password for every account, stored in a password manager and paired with MFA, blocks reuse from turning one exposed login into several. Phishing-resistant MFA binds sign-in to the legitimate site or service, making it harder for a fake site to capture and replay credentials.
Never reuse a password across accounts. If one company has a data breach, attackers may try the exposed password on your email, bank, and other accounts.
Use unique passwords and a password manager
A password manager can create and store a separate password for each account. Google Password Manager is free and built into Chrome and Android, but it is not a standalone program or an extension for other browsers.
Google confirmed in 2024 that stored password data uses AES encryption in transit and at rest. That describes two protections, but does not by itself establish end-to-end encryption. Use any password manager that fits your needs, and protect access to its account.
- Create a unique password for each account.
- Save passwords in a password manager.
- Turn on MFA wherever an account offers it.
- Choose a passkey or security key when available.
- Review stored passwords for weak or reused entries.
Choose MFA that resists phishing
FIDO/WebAuthn and public-key-infrastructure-based sign-in can provide phishing-resistant MFA. AAL2 requirements call for two distinct factors and a phishing-resistant option; AAL3 requires phishing-resistant authentication, a non-exportable key, and two factors.
NIST sets these rules for systems that claim those assurance levels. NIST’s authentication assurance levels explain how the levels differ. Any MFA is better than none, but phishing-resistant MFA offers the strongest protection.
SMS and voice codes are last-resort options, not the preferred way to secure an account.
When a passkey or security key is not available, an authenticator app or token can provide one-time passwords. Mobile push with number matching is another option. SMS and voice MFA face phishing, SS7, and SIM-swap risks, so use them only as temporary or last-resort methods.
Google Password Manager’s review, updated October 16, 2025, rated it 3.8 out of 5. A list of 15 tips to stay safe online can start with these account habits, then add the checks in later sections. Choose phishing-resistant MFA when an account offers it, and use a stronger available alternative rather than leaving MFA off.
How Can You Spot Phishing and Imposter Scams?
A message that urges you to act immediately or enter credentials through its link should be treated as unverified until you check through the service directly. Never enter credentials through an unexpected message link or open an attachment you were not expecting.
Phishing messages may arrive by text, email, or phone, and spelling errors, odd sender addresses, sudden urgency, links, or attachments can signal trouble. One rule I would never break to stay safe online is to avoid unexpected links and files.
Check the sender and the message
Look closely at the sender’s full email address or phone number, not just the name shown on screen. A familiar logo or the right name does not prove that a message came from a real company.
In 2025, imposter scams led to 1,005,012 complaints, with a median reported loss of $700 and total reported losses of $3.51 billion. Text messages appeared in 411,424 fraud reports, with a median loss of $1,000 per victim.
- Inspect the full sender address or number.
- Do not open an unexpected link or attachment.
- Watch for urgent demands and spelling errors.
- Report suspected phishing through the service’s tools.
Verify requests through a separate route
Open the service’s app or type its known website address yourself. Do not reply to the message or use its contact details to check a payment request.
Email appeared in 361,081 fraud reports in 2025, with a median loss of $415. Phone calls appeared in 290,427 reports, with a median loss of $1,835.
The 2025 complaint totals show why it helps to question requests across more than one channel. If a message claims to come from a bank or government agency, contact it using a number or website you already know.
How Do You Browse, Shop, and Use Networks More Safely?
A password-protected home network is a better place for a card purchase than open public Wi-Fi, but no connection alone proves a seller is legitimate. HTTPS protects the connection between your browser and a website, but it does not show that the site is honest.
For a safer way to shop and browse online, check the web address before entering payment details and use a network with a password. HTTPS encrypts information in transit; it does not verify the website or seller.
Online-shopping and negative-review scams generated 419,098 complaints in 2025. Reported losses totaled $446.4 million, with a median loss of $117.
- Check the address for misspellings before paying.
- Read the return, shipping, and contact details.
- Compare prices with other known sellers.
- Use a password-protected network for purchases.
A familiar website design can be copied, and HTTPS cannot prove that a seller will send the item. Treat unusually low prices and vague seller details as reasons to pause, not as proof of a scam.
A VPN encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN provider. It does not make a fraudulent site safe or remove every risk from public Wi-Fi.
When public Wi-Fi is your only connection, waiting to pay on a more secure network is a sensible choice. A few extra minutes can keep payment details off an open connection. If a browser displays a security warning, do not bypass it to complete a purchase.
A public profile can reveal more than a post’s words, including routines, contact details, and clues to recovery questions. Share only the details your audience needs to see. Birthdays, home addresses, phone numbers, and location can invite impersonation or unwanted contact.
Travel plans can also tell strangers when a home may be empty. Small details add up, especially when posts, photos, and public records point to the same person.
Limit identifying details on public profiles
For kids, a clear family rule is to avoid posting school names, location, daily routines, or travel plans publicly. Adults can follow the same rule, especially when a post includes children or other family members.
Before filling out an online form, check whether each field is required. Leave optional details blank when they are not needed for the service.
- Hide your birthday, phone number, and home address.
- Limit profile posts to people you know.
- Leave optional form fields blank when possible.
- Turn off location tags when they are not needed.
- Check which apps can see your contacts or location.
Review privacy settings and app access
Review privacy settings every few months and after major app changes. Social media services can change who sees posts or which apps can connect to an account.
Apple’s iCloud+ includes iCloud Private Relay and Hide My Email, which can limit some exposure while you browse or share an email address. These tools do not replace careful privacy settings or prevent all tracking.
U.S. iCloud+ plans bill monthly. The 50 GB plan costs $0.99, and the 200 GB plan costs $2.99. The 2 TB plan costs $9.99, the 6 TB plan costs $29.99, and the 12 TB plan costs $59.99.
Harvard’s social media safety practices advise limiting visible personal details, checking connected apps, and turning off location tags. Before publishing a photo, check its background for addresses, school names, badges, or other identifying details.
How Do You Secure Your Devices at Home and on the Go?
An unlocked, outdated phone can expose both its owner’s accounts and any workplace network it can reach. Keep devices updated and locked when you are not using them. Those steps help protect personal information at home, school, and while traveling.
Software updates can fix security weaknesses in operating systems, browsers, and apps. Automatic updates reduce the chance that an important fix sits unused on your device.
Keep devices and software current
CISA’s core cybersecurity steps include avoiding and reporting phishing, using strong passwords, using MFA and a password manager, and updating software. Keep the device itself, its browser, and its apps current.
For students, safe internet use starts with an updated device, a locked screen, and respect for school network rules. School networks may limit certain sites or downloads to protect students and school systems.
Protect devices from physical and download risks
These practical steps cover common risks on phones and computers:
- Enable automatic updates for systems and apps.
- Use a screen lock that turns on when idle.
- Install apps only from trusted sources.
- Back up important files to a safe location.
- Wipe devices securely before selling or disposal.
Backups can help you restore important files if a device breaks or goes missing. Keep a copy somewhere the lost or damaged device cannot reach, such as a separate storage service or drive.
Securely erase a device before you sell, recycle, or discard it. Removing an app or deleting a few files may leave personal data behind.
You can sort 25 internet safety tips into account, scam, browsing, sharing, device, and recovery habits. Ten internet safety tips for everyday device use can start with updates, screen locks, trusted downloads, backups, and secure disposal. Turn on automatic updates for the operating system and apps whenever that option is available.
What Should You Do if Your Information Is Misused?
An unfamiliar transaction or new account in your name warrants prompt contact with the financial institution and an identity-theft report. Act quickly, and keep a record of each step.
In 2025, the FTC received 3,025,103 fraud complaints, up from 2,639,302 in 2024. Reported fraud losses reached $15.86 billion, compared with $12.78 billion the year before.
The median loss per reported fraud case was $414 in 2025, down from $498 in 2024. These complaints do not each represent a confirmed crime or a unique victim.
A new account you did not open can be a sign of identity theft. Report it and protect your credit reports.
The FTC and its partner agencies received 1,358,253 identity-theft complaints in 2025, compared with 1,036,845 in 2024. Credit-card identity theft was the most reported category, with 597,770 complaints.
- Contact your bank or card issuer about suspicious charges.
- Report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov or call 877-438-4338.
- Consider a fraud alert or a security freeze on your credit reports.
A fraud alert asks lenders to take extra steps to confirm your identity before opening credit. A security freeze restricts access to your credit report, which can make it harder for someone to open new credit in your name.
Save confirmation numbers and records of each report or account change.
Conclusion
Better online safety comes from making protective habits part of ordinary account and device use. No single setting can block every scam or stop all unwanted exposure, but steady care can reduce avoidable risks.
Choose one small check that you can keep doing, such as reviewing account access after using a shared device. A clear routine makes it easier to notice an unfamiliar change before it grows into a larger problem.
Set aside ten minutes today to review the active sessions on one important account and sign out of devices you no longer recognize.
