Sometimes it seems all we hear is bad news about privacy and security.  But you needn’t stand by waiting to be victimized: here are some easy ways to stay ahead of the hackers:

• 1. Lock your cell phone.  Sure, it's annoying to punch in four digits every time you want to use your phone.  But that's a minor inconvenience compared to the huge hassle that awaits if someone snatches it and steals your sensitive data.
• 2. Think before you post on social media sites.  Business websites often require you to answer security questions before you can log in, or to change your password.  But the questions are common ones, such as asking your mother's maiden name or the name of your first pet.  If you've reminisced about your childhood dog on Facebook, savvy hackers can use the info to hijack your accounts.
•  3. Check your credit card accounts daily.  Amazingly, 90% of consumers don’t check their credit history and credit card statements before paying the charges.  But you can't catch unauthorized charges if you don't examine those statements.  A daily look may sound excessive, but it takes only a few minutes.
• 4. Opt for credit rather than debit.  It may seem safer to use your debit card – you have to punch in a PIN, after all – but debit-card companies generally only give you two days to refute erroneous charges.
• 5.  Protect your passwords.  It's the oldest security advice in the world, but it’s still the best – and a disheartening number of consumers still ignore it.  Create long passwords with upper- and lowercase letters, numerals, and even special characters.  Never write down these passwords or share them with anybody.