In the last few years, the National Security Agency (NSA), Facebook, and MyFitnessPal found themselves involved in data breach scandals. As a result, we’re living in times of increasing concern regarding privacy and misuse of personal information. While the debate is vital to avoid history repeating itself, it poses a challenge for companies that offer online payments. You can’t just blame customers for having weak passwords; you have to take security measures to protect their financial information. Here are some tips.

Security Measures to Protect Financial Information

Scan Your Computers

Purchase antivirus and anti-malware software to perform periodic scans on your computers. While these tools require an investment, they’re essential to keep all your customers’ data safe. Companies that store personal information are a potential target for hackers and, for the same reason, it’s equally important to train your staff about the risks of opening email attachments.

Encrypt Your Data

Encryption is one of the foundations of cybersecurity. There’s a reason why many websites and apps use different layers of encryption to protect data: It works! When it comes to online payments, encryption is an effective way to prevent data from being intercepted and stolen. You can also improve your SEO rankings by simply securing your website with SSL.

Restrict Access To Sensitive Information

Employees are often behind leaks of sensitive information, so it’s advisable to restrict who has access to that information. Make sure your employees know they may face legal consequences if they’re held responsible for a data breach. Monitor suspicious activities at work, too. Don’t forget that financial information may live outside the digital world, which is a good reason to destroy paper documents you don’t need anymore.

Monitor Suspicious Activities

Online payment systems can collect and analyze tons of data in a short time. While this data can help sellers understand consumers’ shopping behavior, it can also flag suspicious activities and detect potential fraud. If several orders are coming from the same IP address, but they were done with multiple credit cards, someone could be making purchases with stolen cards. Keep an eye out for these signs!

Let Us Help You!

Finally, it’s paramount to choose an online payment system with an excellent reputation in the market. At American Verification Processing Solutions, we have years of experience offering affordable payment solutions for many businesses. We’ve partnered with the best gateways to provide you with reliable and secure processing. Contact us through our website or give us a call: (800) 719-9198.