How to Protect Your Online Financial Accounts
Here are 10 more tips to protect your financial accounts
1. Never give a stranger who contacts you remote access to your computer. “There's absolutely no (legitimate) scenario in the world where someone will call you up on the phone unexpectedly and say, ‘We understand your computer is infected, and we'd like to help you,’ “ Buzzard says. If you suspect that your device has a problem, such as malware (malicious software), contact a trusted technician for service.
2. For another layer of security beyond a password, require two-step authentication to access sensitive accounts; it may be a number given in a text or call.
3. Ensure that your antivirus and anti-malware software is up to date.
4. Perform software updates as available on your computer, laptop, tablet and mobile device.
5. Set up your smartphone to stay locked until you provide biometric data such as a fingerprint or facial scan.
6. Contact your bank, credit card company and investment firm and ask what additional security measures they recommend for digital accounts; examples include fraud alerts and dollar limits on transactions. “They would love it if their customers took more initiative like that,” Buzzard says.
7. Write down your mobile device sign-on information and store it safely. You will need it to find your phone or, if stolen, to wipe the device.
8. Periodically review the “last log-in” time stamp on websites you frequent. Check if the stated times match your activity.
9. If you need to contact a customer service department, call using a phone number you know is legit, such as one from a billing statement. Stamas says his mother-in-law once ran into trouble by Googling “Amazon tech support” and phoning the first number that popped up. It wasn't Amazon but a “malicious organization” that induced her to turn over financial information.
10. If you receive an email directing you to log on to a financial account to check out a transaction, ignore it. Instead, bookmark your financial websites and log on through a secure, trusted website. Stamas says an unexpected email “has a high likelihood of being malicious or a phishing scam,” in which a bad actor tries to steal something of value, like a credit card number or account number.
Gloss