People go online these days to transfer funds, make a payment or check the balance in their accounts. But with plenty of online hackers and scammers, it’s wise to be prepared. Here are top tips to keep your accounts secure and help you stay on the safe side of things.
Check your accounts regularly
It would be ideal to check your accounts regularly. Do it at least a couple of times a week through internet banking. This will alert you to any suspicious activities that may show up on your online records. By monitoring your account, you can recognize any suspicious transactions or behavior that may occur. That way, you can do something about it, even seek out better security protocols, to prevent this from happening again.
Change your passwords
Your bank will likely prompt you to change your passwords regularly. Make sure to follow that practice. Also, don’t forget to pick a good password. Don’t go for anything that’s too easy to guess like your first name, last name or nickname. That’s going to defeat the purpose of having a password in the first place. Go for a combination of letters, numbers and special characters for a strong password, says the U.S. News.
Choose a good bank
Before you activate the internet banking service or feature, make sure you’ve opened an account with a reputable bank. Don’t trust anything with a dodgy reputation. In the banking industry, reputation is everything. Do your homework to help you pick the right bank.
Try out a community bank
Learn to look beyond big banks to community banks. These are usually small banks that provide personalized services. They’re also more likely to charge less. If you’re fed up with the rising fees when you use big banks, commercial banks are secure and much more sensitive to fees.