How To Prevent Fraudsters Accessing Your Online Bank Account

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 32
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Pretty much everyone needs a bank account these days just to be able to function in modern life. Internet banking offers the added convenience of being able to access and manage your account more easily, but it is this ease of access that also presents a potential threat of criminals and fraudsters being able to breach your bank account and defraud you of money. Thankfully, there are plenty of things that you can do to avoid laying yourself open to these threats.

Many of the banks offering internet banking also provide software packages that can enhance your online security ? take advantage of these. Alliance and Leicester, for example, offer a free password entry protection software package called Rapport, which prevents your login and password details being viewed by a third party when you access your bank account.

Never respond to or even open e-mails that arouse your suspicion. Banks will never e-mail you to ask for personal or login details, or ask you to change your password. Dubious e-mails also include false notifications that your online security has been breached ? banks will never e-mail you to ...
... communicate this kind of information.

Report all suspicious e-mail activity to your bank immediately so that it can be properly investigated, and details can be passed to the police when necessary to fight against the spread of online fraud.

Keep pin numbers for different accounts separate and unique ? do not be tempted to use the same pin number over and over again for the sake of ease of memory. If you do, fraudsters need only breach security in one part of your life to be able to potentially access and steal your money.

Try to avoid writing down pin numbers to remember them. If this is not possible, because you have too many pin numbers or a bad memory, keep the paper record in a secure a place as possible.

Make sure that you regularly change the passwords and pin numbers on your account. Try to avoid using details from your life as additional login information (i.e. memorable name/ date) that are commonly included on social networking sites ? e.g. your date of birth. In fact, if you are a member of social networking sites, try to avoid including such information in your profile.

Finally, and this advice applies to both online and traditional accounts, always shred or destroy old bank and credit card statements ? do not just throw them out with normal rubbish. In this way you can protect against identity fraud and unauthorised accessing of your bank account. Bonny Kominek is the author of this article. Alliance