Here is a list of account takeover prevention tips:
1. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security to your account. Google Authenticator is a free application that generates 2FA codes on your mobile phone.
2. Enable your account’s login alerts and financial activity alerts to receive notifications whenever your account is accessed from an unknown location or when there are unusual transactions in your account.
3. Restrict the number of computers that can access your Google Wallet account. You can also specify the locations where you allow online access to your Wallet account.
4. Avoid installing unfamiliar apps and browser extensions that can contain malicious software.
5. If you use a Google Wallet PIN, make sure that it is not easy to guess and that it is not the default PIN used by Google Wallet.
6. Create a unique recovery email address for your Google Wallet account. You must use this recovery email address only for your Google Wallet account. This will protect your account from being hijacked by cybercriminals using phishing attacks.
7. If your Wallet account is compromised, immediately change your Wallet password and reset your PIN to prevent further damage to your account.
Let us discuss each of these in detail below:
Account Takeover Prevention Tips
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security to your account.
Google Authenticator is a free application that generates 2FA codes on your mobile phone. Moreover, Google Authenticator is a mobile application that generates one-time use codes to add an extra layer of security to your account. One-time use codes can be enabled as part of two-factor authentication to access your Google Wallet account.
Enable your account’s login alerts and financial activity alerts to receive notifications.
Login alerts will allow you to receive notifications whenever someone logs into your account from an unknown location. Financial activity alerts will allow you to receive notifications when there are unusual transactions in your account.
Restrict the number of computers that can access your Google Wallet account.
You can also specify the locations where you allow online access to your Wallet account. This will help prevent hackers from gaining access to your account from a remote location.
Avoid installing unfamiliar apps and browser extensions that can contain malicious software.
Beware of free applications from unofficial sources as they may contain malicious software that can steal your sensitive data, including usernames and passwords, and send them to a remote location for the cybercriminals to use for fraud and identity theft.
If you use a Google Wallet PIN, make sure that it is not easy to guess and that it is not the default PIN by Google Wallet.
Also, if your Google Wallet PIN is weak, hackers can easily guess it and gain access to your account. If your default PIN is the same as the one used by Google Wallet, changing it will protect you from being hacked.
Create a unique recovery email address for your Google Wallet account.
You must use this recovery email address only for your Google Wallet account. This will protect your account from any hijacks. For instance, by cybercriminals using phishing attacks.
If your account gets into compromise, immediately change your password. Then, reset the 2FA code from your mobile phone to prevent further damage to your account.
