NAR Safety Month: Seven Tips for Protecting Your Data

For the full body of resources, visit the NAR Safety Page. Meanwhile, consider these seven tips:

1. Follow your company’s data security policies. According to the NAR 2022 Safety Report, 67% of respondents were aware of their real estate office’s standard procedures for safeguarding and proper disposal of client data and client information.

   If you are an office that is in need of creating a plan or updating an old one, NAR provides great resources, including this video.

2. Don’t leave cellphones, purses or laptops unattended. It’s easy to get to the office and place these and other valuables you’ve just carried in on your desk and walk away to talk to people or get coffee. Instead, stow them in a desk drawer or under a desk where they are not readily visible and less convenient for someone to pick up and walk away. And when your name is called at that coffee shop? Take them with you to the counter!

3. Protect your passwords. At NorthstarMLS we have single sign-on security features that ensure the right user is accessing MLS resources, but there is much you can do to protect data on other applications. This includes not sharing and making sure others can’t see your login credentials, using long complicated passwords, and not using the same password for other logins.

   Other best practices for passwords include using a password manager and two-factor authentication whenever it is available. It’s also important to be wary of public Wi-Fi and using encrypted email when sending sensitive information.

4. Never open an attachment from someone you don’t know. Computer viruses can be distributed via email. If you receive a strange or impersonal-sounding message from a familiar address, verify with that person that it was something they intended to send.

   For help protecting yourself from ransomware attacks, NAR offers this video.

5. Keep your anti-virus applications up to date. Whether it’s your smart phone or computer, make sure you keep your devices updated to help prevent viruses and other security risks.

6. Don’t respond to e-mails requesting personal or private information. Be wary of email requests for passwords, credit card numbers and bank account numbers. Even if a message appears to be from your bank or a trusted vendor, credible companies never request private information this way.

7. Don’t overshare on social media. Keep business and personal separate, watch what you say, use privacy controls, control friend requests, don’t reveal too much info in your profile. Avoid posting anything that may inform others of your whereabouts like where you are going, how long you will be there or if you will be alone.

   Lastly, don’t share your home address on social media or websites. Giving out too much personal information can make you a target. Instead, use your office address for business purposes.

The online nature of today’s real estate industry also creates opportunities for scammers to prey on agents and consumers alike. We continue to see fraudulent listing scams like this one happening in the upper Midwest.

Our NorthstarMLS Rules & Regulations team is here to help! Visit our Rules & Regulations site or contact us at rules@northstarmls.com.

By Mandy Boldt