Safe E-Banking Tips

Online banking has made it convenient to bank from anywhere whether you’re commuting to work or you’re on vacation. Safety should be your number one priority when it comes to accessing your online accounts. With more malicious threat actors than ever, keeping your accounts safe and private is so important. Below are a few tips to consider to help you improve your online banking safety:.

Don’t Save Logins

Most sites provide you with the option to save your details for faster logins. But unless you know your computer is 100% inaccessible by others, you don’t want to check that box. So, keep information private, and be careful never to write logins down anywhere either.

Use Passphrases Instead of Passwords

Passphrases are different from passwords; they are much longer and contain spaces between words, such as: “ Every moment is a fresh beginning!” It is better to use a passphrase because they are easy to remember but almost impossible to crack. For an extra layer of security, you can also use two-factor authentication to require both a password and code for entry. Swapping letters for special characters and number is another strength when creating a passphrase.\

For Example:

1L0ve$ecur1ty!

myF@mi1yh@s3kid$

4$c0re&7yrs@g0

Never Use Unsecured Public Wi-Fi

Unsecured public Wi-Fi is a major risk for all users, in today’s environment there are malicious threat actors everywhere. When browsing on unsecured public Wi-Fi avoid logging into important accounts such as email and financial services.

Keep up on Updates

Your devices should always be updated to the latest version to reduce security risks – and the same applies to app updates. Stay updated, and you will enhance your online safety when accessing your banking services. If you have applications that do not receive updates we recommend uninstalling them from your devices, along with applications you no longer utilize.

Never Click on Email Links

Have you received an email that could be from the bank? Never click that link. Instead, open the app or type in the URL yourself to confirm legitimacy. Common phishing scams try to get you to click links to capture information, then scammers will use your information to access your online banking account.

Check Your Account Often From a Safe Location

Checking in with your account regularly can help put your mind at rest and help you notice any unusual activity as quickly as possible. Always check your account using secure Wi-Fi or via your 4G network to ensure your safety whenever you want to check up on your accounts.

Use a Unique Username

For many people, using your own name as a username makes sense. But this can make you vulnerable, and it is easy information for hackers to figure out. Instead, create a unique username that you’ll remember but doesn’t include your name, details, or year of birth.

At State Savings Bank, we take online security seriously, we know the importance of always keeping our customers safe.