Friday, October 18, 2019

These days, most of us do at least some of our banking online. However, First Bank & Trust Company recommends that consumers take extra care to protect themselves when engaging in online banking. They offer the following suggestions: 

Monitor your accounts regularly. Make sure that all transactions posted are ones you have authorized. Report any suspected fraudulent or suspicious activity to your bank immediately.

Look out for strange emails. Don't respond to emails that claim to be from your bank (or any company) requesting your account details or passwords. Banks will not reach out to you via email to ask for  account details.

Avoid clicking links in emails. It’s usually much safer to log into your bank website manually to ensure you’re entering a secure site.

Change your bank passwords regularly. Avoid using the same password across multiple sites, and make sure you’re choosing a strong password that’s a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. Avoid using any words or phrases that contain your name, initials or your birthdate.

Enable two-factor authentication. Many financial institutions have added a layer of security for account holders. Two-factor authentication requires you to enter an extra verification credential before you can access your account.

Disable automatic login. Do not allow your web browser to store private username and password information for your online banking websites.

When available, only use your bank's official mobile apps. And make sure you download apps from reputable sources such as the Apple Store or Google Play Store.

Source: First Bank & Trust Company

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