1. Be a password genius

  • Don't share passwords - Don't share your passwords with anyone, even your parent, spouse or graduate assistant. At Texas A&M, if you share your NetID password, you will be locked out of your account.
  • Don't reuse passwords - Don't use the same password on all of your accounts. If a person discovers that password, they will have access to all of your accounts. Consider using a password vault such as LastPass to keep your passwords safe and save you the headache of trying to remember multiple passwords.
  • Use strong passwords - Strong passwords are difficult to guess but easy to remember. Try using a short phrase or sentence.
  • Set up Password Recovery Settings - Take a few minutes to set up your Password Recovery Settings and turn off over-the-phone resets. This will allow you to change your own password if you forget it, and prevent others from pretending to be you in attempts to change your password over the phone. To set it up, visit gateway.tamu.edu and click "Password Settings."

2. Be careful what you reveal

When completing forms or posting on social networking sites, be careful about what you reveal and to whom you reveal it.

3. Keep a secondary email address and credit card

Consider opening a secondary email address and credit card for online shopping. This will reduce your primary accounts' exposure to theft or spam.

4. Never send sensitive information in an email

Email is not a secure method of transferring sensitive information. No legitimate company or educational institution should ask you to send sensitive information like credit card numbers, social security numbers or passwords through email.

5. Check addresses before submitting information online

When submitting information on a website, make sure you are at the correct website. Avoid following links in emails. Instead, type a trusted link in the address bar or do a google search for the site if you don't know the address.