Two-factor authentication, explained without jargon

A few years ago this would have sounded unusual. Today it is ordinary enough that most people do not think about it at all.

Fees are often small enough to ignore, which is exactly why they add up. Check the fee screen before every transfer, not just the first one.

How it works

The best advice came from people who had already made the mistakes, and were happy to explain how to avoid them.

Fees are often small enough to ignore, which is exactly why they add up. Check the fee screen before every transfer, not just the first one.

The best advice came from people who had already made the mistakes, and were happy to explain how to avoid them.

Common mistakes

Behind the headline is a lot of quiet, repetitive work by people who rarely get credit for it.

Fees are often small enough to ignore, which is exactly why they add up. Check the fee screen before every transfer, not just the first one.

The bottom line

Keep your PIN and one-time codes to yourself. Support staff never need them, and nobody legitimate will ask.

Turn on transaction alerts. A notification for every movement of money is the fastest way to catch a problem.

If you only remember one thing from this story, make it this: start small, check the details and do not let anyone rush you.

We did not set out to start anything. We just kept showing up.

There are still open questions, and we will update this story as we learn more.