Buying a home requires you to provide an enormous amount of documentation and personal information to your lender. This can include:

• Social security numbers
• Credit reports
• Bank statements
• Tax statements
• Paystubs

Submitting this information makes most borrowers feel uneasy and for a good reason. According to III.org, 3.2 million cases of consumer fraud and identity fraud occurred in 2019. This means that it has never been more critical to keep your personal information safe.

Below are our top 6 tips to keep your personal information safe during and after the loan process.  

1. Use strong and secure passwords

Make sure you use strong passwords. Your passwords should not be easy to guess words such as family members' names or birth dates. Make sure to use longer passwords with multiple characters, such as lower/upper case letters, numbers, and symbols. Make sure you write these passwords down and store them somewhere safe.

2. Using a lender that puts you first

DRMC knows that your security is a top priority. Whether it's your documentation, loan application, or disclosures, we invest in security technology to keep it safe. Ensure that you are working with a lender that uses encrypted documentation collection and top of the line IT practices. If you feel uneasy about the process, your loan officer would be more than happy to explain it further.

3. Don't click on links or attachments

 One of the most common ways in which hackers get your personal information is through email. When you click on links or attachments sent by hackers, you open your device to computer viruses that steal your information.

 Many of these emails have small red flags you can use to determine whether the email is safe, such as:  

• Bad grammar or spelling
• Unusual email domains
• They ask you to click on attachments or links
• You weren't expecting the email
• They don't contain company information/logos

We will only send you information from our company domain.  

4. Share on home Wi-Fi

Before sharing personal information or making purchases online, make sure to connect to a secure home Wi-Fi connection. Using public Wi-Fi leaves your data susceptible to hackers.

5. Verify who you are speaking with

When talking to someone new over email or phone call, make sure that you verify their identity. You can do this by asking them to confirm their company information and verifying it online or asking what information they have of yours on file.

6. Become more private on social media

While it can be tempting to share with your friends on Facebook or Instagram, it can be shared with more than just them. Posting personal information on social media can leak to unintended recipients, and they may use it to:

• Impersonate you
• Use it to answer security questions
• Trick you
• Hack into your devices

Looking for a lender that takes the privacy of your information seriously? Click here and schedule your appointment today.