Improving My Financial Situation

Online banking is becoming extremely popular and is available through most banks today. This feature allows you to complete a variety of banking tasks from your computer or smart phone, and it is designed to make your banking needs easier and more convenient. Using online banking is a great way to handle your banking needs; however, it is very important to know how to use it safely. With the right steps, you will be able to complete your banking tasks electronically without the risk of hackers accessing your accounts. Here are some tips to help you with this.

Do Not Keep Yourself Logged In

One important tip to understand about online banking is to never keep yourself logged in. While most systems will automatically sign users out after a certain amount of time, there may be some that do not. If you stay logged in and someone accesses your computer, phone, or network, they may be able to steal money from you.

In addition, avoid storing your username and password in the appropriate fields. Instead, set it up so that you must enter these each time you want to log in from your phone or computer. By following this tip, you will have an extra layer of protection on your bank accounts, and this could be enough to stop hackers from entering into your account information.

Password-Protect Your Electronics

Another good tip to consider is keeping a password on your electronics. If you happen to lose your computer or cellphone, a password will make it a lot harder for someone to access your information. If you have a password, a person will need to know how to bypass it in order to get into your phone or computer, and this is a great step to take to protect all your personal information on your electronic devices.

It is also good to use different passwords for all the accounts you have. If you use the same password for every log-in you have, it will be much easier for someone to break into all your password-protected accounts and sites.

Never Use Public Networks

If you want to check the balance in your bank account or make a transfer of money, you should do this only when you are connected to a secure network, such as your home network. Public Wi-Fi networks are not always encrypted. This means that other people sharing this network might be able to see what you are doing on your electronics.

If you really need to access your information from a public place, you might be able to set up a personal hotspot on your device. This is often a safer method for using electronics to access personal information, because hot spots are often encrypted, which means your information will be protected.

Do Not Fall For Phishing Scams

Finally, you can stay safe with online banking by recognizing and avoiding phishing scams. A phishing scam often occurs when you receive an email stating it is from your bank and that they need some information from you to verify your account. Banks do not typically communicate in this manner, and you should never respond to emails like this.

If you receive an email of this nature, call your bank and ask them if it is real. If it is, you can complete their request directly over the phone; however, you will most likely find that the email was part of a phishing scam.

Using the features offered through online banking is a great way to check your balance and complete other banking tasks, but you should make sure you use it safely. To learn more about this, contact your bank and ask about online banking.