Chinenye Anuforo [email protected] 08063768550, 07054965005
With the ever-increasing popularity of Internet banking, mobile apps and contactless payments, protecting yourself is becoming more and more important.
Most banks have implemented a number of mechanisms to protect their customers from attacks by cyber criminals. In return, customers should be proactive in taking full advantage of the security features offered by digital banks.
Below are some tips on how to stay safe with online banking:
1. Change your password regularly
We all know how important it is to have strong security for online profiles, but ‘password’ and ‘123456’ are still the most common passwords.
Make sure your online banking password is strong, using upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
If you use mobile apps or contactless payments like Apple or Android pay, make sure your phone or tablet is protected with a PIN number or other security measures. And make sure you always properly log out. Just closing the app or webpage might not be enough.
2. Don’t fall for Phishing
Hackers don’t have to crack your password to get into your account. Sometimes you can do the hard work for them. Spoof emails (supposedly from your bank) encourage people to click links and visit fake websites, allowing fraudsters to steal your details.
Never click links in emails claiming to be from your bank. Always go directly to the bank’s website.
And if in doubt, contact your bank, making sure you call the contact number your bank gave you, rather than just redialling. And obviously never give out personal information like passwords and pin numbers.
3. Stay secure
Mobile banking and phone-based payments mean it has become common for people to manage their money on the move. But this has brought its own problems.
Avoid using public Wi-fi for online banking or purchases, because it is difficult to tell if the network is secure or not.
In fact, standard 3G and 4G mobile data signals are often the best to use, even if they are a bit slower, according to GetSafeOnline.org.