Paying your bills right from your personal computer or laptop when traveling has become an efficient and very popular option in banking. When setting up your account, the following tips will help safeguard your online banking account information.
Password and personal ID choice is very important
Many look for the easy way out when choosing a password. The word, password, is the most commonly chosen, so it is the first one tried by hackers. Dictionary words should also not be used. Hackers have programs that will search every word in the dictionary until a match is found. It is also wise to avoid using any personal ID such as your address, date of birth, or social security number. Creating passwords with unrelated letters of both upper and lower case and mixing in numbers is what experts advise. Using a different password for each site you log into and changing your passwords periodically is also a good practice.
Accessing your bank account from public networks and computers is risky.
Never walk away and leave your computer unattended once you sign on to your bank account. Also remember to sign out of your account once you have completed your business. Never have your computer set up to save your passwords, account numbers or credit card numbers. Always clear your cache memory and immediately close the browser.
Never allow others, especially strangers, to use your computer. That nice person you just met at the resort pool could be a nice Internet thief. Purchase a screen guard that will prevent anyone from seeing your information. The person next to you or behind you will see a black screen; the information is visible only to the person directly in front of the screen. Newer laptops already have this feature.
Anti-Virus and firewall protection are a must.
Numerous excellent products are on the market. There are several levels of protection that can be purchased to suite your needs. These programs can be set to automatically update daily.
Choose your bank wisely
Your local bank where you have had your account for years should be your first choice. Your accounts are already there, and will most likely have the on line access available. All legitimate banks have firewalls and safety measures in place to protect your information. They will explain those measures to you thoroughly and require you go though a series of safety layers before you can log into your account. This is for your protection and well worth the initial set up required. There are many large banks with on-line banking that may not have a local office and these are secure as well; just make sure they insure deposits with the FDIC.
Beware of phishing scams that arrive with suspicious emails
Never respond to email requesting your banking information. Your bank will NEVER ask you to send your account number by email for verification. The bank already knows your account number. Pay-Pal will never do this either. Phishers have been known to copy mastheads from legitimate organizations to trick people into responding with account, credit card and social security numbers.
On-line banking is great for both the consumer and industry. Following the tips mentioned and the advice of your financial institution will ensure that you can safeguard your on-line banking account and enjoy the convenience of taking care of your banking from your computer in a secure and safe manner.