The increasing popularity of internet has led banks to develop innovative ways that allow their customers to access and utilize their accounts, through online banking. But on the downside, banking on line does pose a risk in regards to the possibility of unauthorized access of your account, and the information therein. For the safety of your account, you should therefore place a number of safeguards to protect yourself from such occurrences.
Always ensure to protect your password. This means generating a password that is unique, and does not include personal details, such as your birth date, social security number, etc. Try and make it as complicated as possible by using a sequence of words, numbers and special characters where possible. The longer the password, the more secure it will be. Be on the lookout for any suspicious emails that request for personal details, such as credit card information. Criminals will usually design and disseminate fake emails, with links to illegitimate websites in order to obtain your login details.
You should avoid banking on line on a shared computer, such as those in a library, or even your workplace. Criminals will, in some cases, install software/hardware that will allow it to record any keystrokes typed into the computer, which they can later access and use to access your account. Therefore, always limit accessing your account on your own personal computer.
Tips and comments:
It is recommended that you change your password as often as possible, every month if possible. You should also install an up to date antivirus program, to protect your computer from viruses. In the event that you suspect you account has been compromised, always contact your bank as soon as possible. This is because, even though your account is protected by federal law from fraud, you must discover this fraud within 60 days since its occurrence, and report it within 2 business days.
