Learn These 8 Tips for Safer Online Banking
It is always safer to access your online bank account by entering the address directly into your browser. Be wary of unsolicited phone calls purporting to be from your bank.
While your financial institution may request a response to a security question, they should never request passwords or PINs (they may ask for certain letters or numbers from them, but never the whole thing). If in doubt, hang up and call your bank again using a phone number that you have independently confirmed to be authentic.
5. Log in to your accounts from a safe location.
It is usually advisable to connect to your bank using computers and networks that you are familiar with and trust. However, if you need to access your bank online from a remote location, you should set up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) so that you may connect to your home or work network and access your bank from there.
Check your browser for a small padlock icon and the address bar – the URL of the site you’re on should begin with ‘https.’ Both serve as confirmation that you are connecting to your account via an encrypted channel.
6. Always log out after you’re finished.
When you have completed your transaction, always log out of your online banking session. This reduces the likelihood of falling victim to session hijacking and cross-site scripting attacks. You should also enable private browsing on your computer or smartphone and configure your browser to clear its cache at the conclusion of each session.
7. Configure account notifications (if available)
Some banks allow consumers to set up text or email notifications to notify them of particular account activities. For example, if a withdrawal matches or surpasses a specific amount or if the account balance falls below a given level, a notification is issued. Such notifications could provide timely notification of questionable behavior on your account.
8. Keep an eye on your accounts on a frequent basis.
It should go without saying that checking your bank statement each month is a smart idea because any unauthorized transactions will be shown there. But why wait a month to find a mistake?
Take advantage of the 24-hour access to internet banking by checking your account on a frequent basis. Examine every transaction since you last logged in, and if you see any discrepancies, call your bank immediately. The recommendations above should go a long way toward ensuring that you enjoy the benefits of internet banking without encountering any drawbacks.
