by Net Banking – Know the Important Tips for Safe Banking
For those having either a current bank account or a savings bank account with the bank and making use of internet banking services has made the banking process quick, easy, and convenient. You as a customer, can pay the bills, make transfers of funds, recharge your mobile phone or DTH, assign a nominee, and check your bank statements using your net banking account. This said, owing to fraudulent practices like phishing, hacking and others, you as a customer must ensure that you use safe practices at the time of using this facility. For those new to the net banking facility, below are some of the crucial tips to protect your account from fraudsters.
Make sure your passcodes are changed periodically
When you open an account with the bank, may it be a savings bank account or a current bank account, you will initially have to use the net banking passcode provided by the bank to register. After you register to the net banking account, make sure you change the passcode instantly as a safety measure. Additionally, it is even imperative that you make changes to your passcode regularly to eliminate the risk of witnessing any fraudulent act. For instance, suppose you have two bank accounts, a Union bank account, which is your primary bank account and a Bank of India account, which is your secondary bank account. To avoid visiting during the Union bank timings and Bank of India timings, respectively, opting for the net banking services are a must. Now, as you are using the online digital services of both banks, ensure to regularly change their passcodes as a safety measure to avoid falling prey to fraudulent practices.
Never bank from the public computers
When it is about net banking, using public computers is strictly not recommended. When you are unsure about how safe a desktop is, never use the same, particularly when it is about net banking. It can be simpler for fraudsters to hack into the public desktop, leaving your account details highly susceptible to various frauds. In case you have no choice, make sure that you clear your browsing history and cache. Lastly, never ever allow your browser to save the ID as well as a passcode.
Avoid sharing the details of your account with anyone else
Note that at no point the bank will ask you for the account details through email, SMS, or call. To safeguard your account from fraudsters, make sure that you do not share your details through social media channels, email, SMS, and others. Also, when you browse online, make sure that the site URL has HTTPS on its URL. This ensures the URL is secure.
Ensure to check your account on a regular basis
Just to ensure that your account does not fall prey to any act, which is fraudulent, ensure you log in as well as check out your account periodically. Make sure to go through your bank account statements to check for any transactional discrepancies. This habit will even assist you to keep thorough track of your finances, both in and out of your bank account.
Use anti-virus software, which is licensed
While you may require paying a subscription on a yearly basis, always make sure that you use the licensed anti-virus software when browsing to protect your computer thoroughly. While you may be tempted to use the free anti-virus, there is always a chance that it may not be completely protected, making fraudsters and hackers to snoop to your computer to get your account details. Lastly, make sure that your anti-virus solution is updated regularly.
Turn off your net connection when not using it
Many of you keep your net connection on even if you are not using the same, thus endowing the hackers with a chance to hack your net connection and your personal desktops to steal your account details and info. As a safety measure, always make sure that your net connection is turned off when you are not using the same.
Ensure to type the URL
If you received the URL in your email, ensure to type the same instead of just clicking on the given link. Most fraudsters often redirect you to an unprotected website to steal your details. This said, never open any email sent by an unrecognized source. Lastly, ensure never to share your customer ID and your account passcode with anyone.
Use a secure site, location, and network when you are banking online
Public and free WIFI networks often are not encrypted, which makes you become easy targets for hackers to misguide you and steal your important personal details. Ideally, leave all the financial workings for secure networks and when you are connected to a dedicated browser. However, in case you are unable to find any private location, you can consider using your mobile phone’s data for the transaction.
The next important thing you must watch for is ensuring your bank site has a lock symbol in the address bar and start with the HTTPS. It means that your website is encrypted, and all your data gets converted into an unreadable form before being transferred, thus keeping all your info safe and private.
Use the banking notifications
Many banks offer you email or text alerts for different banking purposes. This ranges from receiving notification for a transaction of a specific amount when you witness a balance dip below a specific amount or others. With such messages, you can stay alert every time about when your net banking account is accessed. Please make sure to keep the assistance number of your bank handy with you, for scenarios of fraudulent transactions.
Ensure to always log out
You can avoid session hijacking by always ensuring to log out from your online net banking sessions when you are done.
Allow multi-factor authentication or verification
You can easily prevent identity left and all the complications by simply using an additional layer of security even addressed as multi-factor authentication. Many banks natively provide 2-factor verification or authentication where whenever you log in the bank will send an email or text message with a verification code, which is unique. You must input this code on the bank’s site alongside providing your username and passcode.
So, you see activating net banking service if you have a bank account say, a Bank of India account to avoid visiting the bank during Bank of India timings can present has a big help, which not just allow you to save plenty of time but also enables you to transfer your funds, check your balance, make investments, deposits, etc. with ease with just a click.
