When logging onto home banking, your focus may be on the balance in your account, or ensuring that a check has been deposited. While these numbers are certainly important, Maine credit unions also encourage you to focus on the security of your account information.
Here are the top ten tips that credit unions offer their members about securing their home banking accounts:
1. Check and update your computer software, including Windows operating systems (and others like Mac OS) and Web browsers. Threats from viruses and attackers often take advantage of vulnerabilities in these software packages. Contact the software vendor directly to access any available updates.
2. Install antivirus/anti-spyware software to protect your computer and detect and remove viruses. Make sure your software is up-to-date, because new viruses appear daily.
3. Install software for spam filtering and spam blocking.
4. Be wary of email offers that come from a source you don’t recognize. If you believe an email is fraudulent, don’t reply to the email, click any links within the email, or open any attachments.
5. Be wary of any email or pop-up messages declaring your accounts in jeopardy or asking for personal information.
6. Don’t respond to “spammed” emails. If an email seems suspicious, don’t click the link asking to be taken off the sender’s list. A response only confirms the accuracy of your email address and may result in even more messages filling up your inbox.
7. Never submit your credit card details or other personal information on non-secure websites. Before submitting your user name and password to log on, make sure your browser window displays the closed padlock symbol and the URL begins with “https://.” Secure web pages show a locked padlock icon that appears in yellow, or in a yellow box, at the bottom of the Web browser screen.
8. Never share your user names and passwords or store them on your computer.
9. Be cautious when using public computers at home (including those at libraries, Internet cafés, and schools) and when traveling abroad, or using shared ones, such as home computers. Public computers are traditionally on open networks and can be susceptible to monitoring without your knowledge.
10. After you’ve accessed sensitive account information online, log off the website and close your Web browser.
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