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Keep your retirement accounts secure

Posted on October 17, 2023

For some, October might mean it’s time for pumpkin spice lattes and wool sweaters. For all of us, it’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month and time to do a security check up on our retirement accounts.

It’s important to learn how to avoid the pitfalls and to do your best now to prevent fraud on your retirement accounts. You can build a stronger fortress around your accounts during Cybersecurity Awareness Month and throughout the year, by visiting the Account Security section on the DRS website. There, you’ll find a short and helpful two-minute video along with tips, suggestions and what to do if you think someone has tampered with your retirement accounts.

Here’s a great tip, and it’s easy to do right now while you’re visiting the DRS website: Set up your retirement accounts if you haven’t already done so. Someone who gets their hands on your information could set it up for themselves. Plus, if you have DCP, Plan 3 or JRA, you’ll also want to establish an account through the record keeper, even if you never plan to use it.

Rest assured, all DRS employees are trained in best practices for securing your account information and understanding the threats to your personal information. The Account Security section includes how to contact us if you should ever become a victim of fraudulent behavior affecting your retirement accounts.

CISA is the federal cyber defense agency that supports October Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Their mission is to reduce risk to the nation’s cyber and physical infrastructure. They recently shared a list of four things you can do right now to stay safe online. One of those things is to keep your software up to date. When a new version comes out, apply it as soon as you can so your information stays secure. Online and retirement account safety go hand in hand. Be sure to use the information on the DRS and CISA websites so you can kick back with a nice warm beverage while you plan for retirement. The time is now.