Can we all agree with the statement that online banking is a convenient way to manage money? We can use online banking to do everything from checking your balance to depositing checks. When conducting our online banking, we need to know that criminals can take advantage and hack into our accounts.
We need to ensure our passwords are secure and never let our guard down.
We need to keep our protection updated and make sure our computer is secure. Do not provide any personal online banking information. I will reveal what I have found and reading this article, will disclose banking safety tips to avoid having someone steal our identity or robbing us.
What Are Some Online Banking Safety Tips?
Online banking may be convenient, but it can also trigger danger. In the era of paperless banking, the internet can be a source of security trouble if we are not careful. There are countless ways in which fraudsters can break into our online accounts. Some of these include:
- Hacking
- Phishing
- Identity theft
If we take precautions, online banking can be a safe place to keep track of our money. It can even be safer than using a traditional bank. The following is a list of ways in which we can protect ourselves when banking online:
1. Have an Unpredictable Password
I have found that keeping a password that no one can guess is a way to safeguard my online account. I do not use actual words to accomplish this. Speaking for those whose sole mission is to protect their online banking account, we should have a password that is comprised of total gibberish.
By the word gibberish, I mean a combination of the following:
- Lower case letters
- Uppercase letters
- Underscores
- Numbers
- Special characters
- Periods or .coms
When we mix it up like this, it is hard for a scam artist to break into our accounts. This password creativity is especially needed because many hackers use algorithms to look through the dictionary and try different applications.
When we use a complicated password, we typically do not need to change it as frequently. Personally, I make sure to write the password down or store it in a safe place such as a password book, a password safe, or a password protection program.
2. Keep Your Guard Up
Scammers will often pretend to be our bank so they can trick us out of our money. The best way to safeguard against this is never to let our guard down. What I mean by this is that I will always initiate contact with my bank when it comes to my money.
We may be approached in any of the following ways:
- Emails
- Texts
- Social media messages
- Phone calls
The emails can appear like they come from a bank. They may indicate that there has been suspicious activity in our accounts. Once we prove our identity, the eager thief will steal it along with our cash.
As a general rule, when I receive an incoming call, I will hang up and call back before giving away any personal information. If I get an email from my bank, I will not click on anything to verify. Instead, I will type the name of my bank into the search bar before logging in.
3. Make Sure Your Computer Is Secure
When we use our computer to access our accounts, we should first ensure our computer is not infected. I like to make sure my computer’s firewall is active, and I have downloaded good antivirus software onto my computer.
We need to have the latest version of the operating system and the latest preferred browser. These are the items that are often updated, so they have the latest protection against threats or hackers.
If you can use VPN software, it can help fight against online predators and hackers. An updated system means that I will have a good chance of not falling prey to these scammers.
4. Safeguard Your Smartphone
We need to ensure that they are secure when we do our online banking on our smartphones. There are antivirus apps we can use. Our smartphones need to be locked with password protection so that people do not steal our information.
The other concern is that smartphones can get lost, and if there is not adequate protection on them, someone could get a hold of our information. However, password protection gives the bank enough time to help us if our cell phone has been lost or stolen.
5. Never Give Your Bank Information to Anyone
The most prevalent way a hacker gains information about us is through a method called phishing. They will usually ask for bank information from us. Banking companies do not request our banking ID and password.
Another handy trick for criminals is sending customized emails asking us to click on a link to update our information, such as our address. The email will contain a link to select, and it will infect our computer or take control to see which keys are selected when we put in our password.
Sometimes, upon clicking on that link, we will be taken to a site that looks identical to our banking website, and then we will lose our sensitive information to the scammer. We should not respond to any email asking for our bank information.
6. Do Not Use Public Wi-Fi or Computers
We should not use public Wi-Fi, and especially not use public computers to access our online banking account. This practice could encompass library computers and public Wi-Fi found in coffee places. We should trust only in our devices which we have protection set up.
When using a public device, we should delete any accumulated information. We should also make it a habit to log off our accounts on our computers to avoid session hijacking.
Keep in mind that hackers often look for people who use public computers or Wi-Fi, as it is the most prevalent way for scammers to break into a secure website. This access includes an online bank with dependable security.
Conclusion
We must take online hacking seriously and protect our online banking accounts. With these tips, you can enjoy the convenience of online banking without the threat of losing money to ruthless scammers.