Users often compromise their banking security by unwittingly giving up account information. Cyber-thieves with passwords can then log in as legitimate account users.
Here are five Internet banking security tips:
- Don't log onto your Internet banking accounts from unsecured connections on public wi-fi connections such as parks, airports, libraries, or coffee shops. These wireless connections are not encrypted, meaning account numbers and passwords can be intercepted as you transmit them. Cyber-thieves also "shoulder surf" - look over your shoulder - to steal your password.
- Don't log onto your accounts from shared computers. Internet browsers store your password information, so the next user has full access to your accounts. Public computers might also have key logger spy ware which record every key stroke, giving thieves your information that way.
- Don't click links in email claiming to be sent from your bank, Paypal, or other payment systems. These "phishing" emails lead to fake sites that mimic legitimate web pages to fool you into sending your account information directly to the thieves. Open the real web page yourself and log in directly.
- Change your passwords often. Make your Internet banking security passwords harder to crack by using numbers and punctuation marks.
- Don't use your Internet banking password on unsecured sites such as media or social networking sites.