Stronger Protections, Slower Clicks: 5 Cybersecurity Tips to Protect Your Money

Simple habits that keep scammers out, and why taking your time may be the best defense.

According to a recent poll by the Associated Press and NORC at the University of Chicago, 58% of U.S. adults report receiving scam communications daily. Of these, 53% allegedly come from a bank, loan or credit card company.

Unfortunately, it’s a golden age for scammers. With AI, it’s easier than ever to create convincing phishing emails and texts or even duplicate the voice of a loved one asking for money.

Fortunately, there are people working to keep accounts safe, and steps account holders can take to protect themselves. Chris Bjorgaard, Executive Director of IT at Associated Healthcare Credit Union (AHCU), spends his days working to stay a step ahead. “As hackers get more sophisticated, financial institutions and security professionals have to get more sophisticated,” he says. “It all evolves.”

Protection as Part of the Promise

AHCU is a not-for-profit credit union rooted in Minnesota’s healthcare community, with more than 12,000 members statewide. Because it answers to members rather than outside shareholders, its priorities follow members’ needs, and keeping their accounts safe is a top priority.

The credit union requires long passwords, offers fingerprint login through its mobile app, applies two-factor authentication such as texted codes and voice calls, and shares security guidance with members from the moment they open an account.

Striking the right balance takes care. “We want to get to the most secure mechanism we can without inconveniencing people,” Bjorgaard says. “That’s the number one goal.”

Even the strongest systems work best when members do their part, and the most effective habits are simple.

5 Tips to Strengthen Your Accounts

• Use Strong Passwords and Let a Password Manager Remember Them

  Criminals use automated tools that cycle through the most common passwords, so short, simple choices offer poor security. AHCU requires long, complex passwords, which nudges people toward phrases. “Phrases, made of unrelated words, are much harder to guess,” Bjorgaard says. “If you combine that with a number and a symbol, you bake in a little security.”

  Use a different password for every account so one breach can’t unlock the rest. A password manager stores them so you don’t have to. “My first recommendation is to get a password manager that is encrypted,” he says.

• Turn On Two-Factor Authentication and Look for Passkeys

  Two-factor authentication asks for a second proof of identity, such as a texted code or a fingerprint. “Anything that requires a second authentication is better than just a password alone,” Bjorgaard says. Some people worry biometrics hand over personal data, but Bjorgaard calls that a misconception: Your fingerprint or face scan stays on your phone when you use your phone’s built-in fingerprint or face unlock, not with your bank.

  Texted codes help, but texts can be intercepted through SIM-swap scams, or criminals may simply trick you into reading one back to them. Authenticator apps add a stronger layer. Best of all are passkeys, which let you sign in from your own device with a fingerprint, face scan or PIN, passing nothing sensitive back and forth. “You’re going to hear more and more about passkeys,” Bjorgaard says. “If it’s available, I would highly recommend going right to passkeys.”

• Keep Your Phone, Browser and Banking Apps Updated

  Updates do more than add new features. They often fix security weaknesses that criminals have already discovered. Turn on automatic updates for your phone, browser and banking app so you’re always running the most protected version.

• Check Your Transactions Regularly

  Catching a problem early can keep it small. “Make sure you’re viewing your transactions on a regular basis, or set up alerts so you can catch stuff early,” Bjorgaard says. If you receive a two-factor code when you weren’t logging in, someone may have your password, so change it right away. And never share a code with anyone who contacts you, even if they say they’re from your credit union. AHCU will never call, text or email asking for your password or a one-time code. For older relatives, who are often targeted, talk with the credit union about options including adding a code word to an account which is an added layer of security protection.

• Don’t Be in a Hurry

  This is the tip Bjorgaard returns to most. “My number one piece of advice to everybody, whenever you’re dealing with sensitive data, is don’t be in a hurry,” he says. Scammers build pressure on purpose. “Urgency is their main tool,” he says. “They don’t want to wait for you to come back to them tomorrow. If you feel like you’re being rushed, that’s the time to slow down.”

  If a message looks legitimate but something feels off, skip the link and go to your banking app or a web address you know. If a familiar voice calls asking for a password, hang up and call that person back directly. That sense of urgency, Bjorgaard notes, is the biggest red flag of all.

You Don’t Have to Handle it Alone

Even careful people become victims. When it happens, the worst move is staying quiet out of embarrassment. “Don’t be ashamed and sit on it and not tell anyone,” Bjorgaard says. “That can just compound the problem.”

Instead, reach out to your financial institution through a trusted channel, such as a phone number you know or a banker you already work with. The sooner you act, the better the chance to limit or stop the damage.

That partnership is what AHCU aims to offer every member: secure tools, practical guidance and people ready to help when something goes wrong.

“Make sure that you tell somebody,” Bjorgaard says, “and let the professionals help you.”

Chris Bjorgaard

Executive Director, IT and Data Analytics

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