Do you have nightmares of your tablet computer falling into the hands of cyber thieves? Perhaps you agonize that a hacker will get into your online bank account. These fears are warranted. It’s increasingly difficult for all of us to protect our privacy in today’s Internet age. The good news? There are some very simple actions you can take to make it much less likely that your personal information could be accessed by hackers, scammers or thieves. And a recent story by Forbes lists these steps.

Password Protect

Password-protecting your mobile devices – your tablets, laptops and smartphones – is your first line of defense. If thieves have to first guess your password before they can turn on your iPad or Amazon Fire, the odds are lower that they’ll ever gain access to your personal data. As Forbes says, password-protecting your mobile devices is no different than locking your car doors when you park at the store.

Google Alerts

Do you know what people are saying about you online? You might want to. You don’t want all of your secrets traveling around the web. Forbes recommends you ought to create a Google Alert on your name. That way, any time anyone types it online, you’ll receive a message alerting you. You can then take a look at what’s being said about you. Think of this as a very easy way to track your online presence.

The Sign Out Step

You just completed changing your Facebook page. You’ve just transferred money electronically into your PayPal account. What should you do now? Make sure, before you leave the site, that you simply sign out. This is especially important if you’re using a computer at a library or any other public space. You wouldn’t want the next user to see your accounts and gain easy access because you’re still signed in. We’re all busy. However you are not too busy to remember to sign out.