Why Learning about Thrift Savings Plan Account Safety is Vital
By Don Fletcher

Don Fletcher, discusses the importance of TSP safety and offers some tips to help protect you from unwanted account breaches.

Those of you who are wondering why learning about thrift savings plan account safety is vital should be mindful that it very well might be your largest financial asset. If you compare your other assets such as your vehicle and your home, the TSP might already be your largest safety net in order to retire. However, there are a few keeps that are wise to keep in mind.

When will Thrift Savings Plan Contact You?

Let’s start with two main scenarios in which TSP representatives would contact you:

1. To ensure your email address is present in the My Account section.
2. This scenario includes instances when you initiate an account transaction, and the transaction is needed to be confirmed.  You will not be asked for any personal information but keep in mind that TSP will not contact you to discuss any investment opportunities.

Be Cautious

If you are seeking investment advice, counseling or investment related services, you should know that TSP does not provide any such advice, service, or counseling via third parties. When you are hiring a professional investment advisor, service provider, or counselor, it is better to do some due diligence on your own which will prevent you from trusting the wrong firm.

Designations

Keep in mind that TSP does not endorse any firms or specific individuals’ designations like TSP Counselor and/or TSP Advisor. The best method would be to cross-check the credentials of your investment advisor and ensure that they are trustworthy. After all, it is your money, and you are the one responsible for protecting it. 

Take Action

If you suspect that your thrift savings plan account safety has been breached or you wish to confirm whether a call or email you got was from TSP only, then contact the Thriftline on 1-877-968-3778. You can also use the secure message center available on the official website.

Don Fletcher Shares his Best Suggestions

Here are a few suggestions to stay diligent.

• Never Share Data: No matter what anyone says over the phone or an email, you must never share your TSP account number, password, user id or security questions answers with anyone.
• Review Correspondence: You should thoroughly review any correspondence you get from the TSP as soon as you receive it. It may be informing you that someone is trying to hack your account and allow you to change your password on time.
• Periodic Checks: Take the time to log into your TSP account and monitor the account activity. This may help you catch potential mistakes.
• Keep Secure: Try to use a secure network while you log into your TSP account as hackers find it easy to penetrate unsecured networks.

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