Online Banking - Safety Tips For The Consumer

As technology has improved significantly over the last decade, criminals have become proportionately smarter and savvier. This is especially true in the online world - the universe where crooks can hide behind e-mails, websites and fake personas. Unfortunately, these same criminals would like to find their way into your bank account. However, there are some simple tips that you can follow to make for a safe online banking experience.

PROTECT YOUR PASSWORD: Your password is the key that opens the gate to your online bank account. As such, crooks would love to know this vital piece of information. To prevent this, make sure your password is not too personal. Avoid using your birthday, phone number, or social security number in your password. Craft a password that is a combination of impersonal letters and numbers. The longer, the better. It is also recommended that you change your password every few months or so.

BEWARE OF SUSPICIOUS EMAILS: Those wanting to steal personal information online often resort to what is called "phishing". In this practice, criminals may send emails asking for credit card info, PINs (personal identification numbers), or passwords. Crooks in the online banking world often send emails that seem to be from legitimate financial institutions. These emails can appear to be convincing because they contain the logo of a real online bank. However, these emails often contain a link that leads you to a fake site designed to lure you into compromising personal information.