Knowing the weak spots that hackers look for and the tricks they use can go a long way in protecting you from cyber theft:
Weak passwords.Using simplest, easy to guess passwords can put your accounts at risk or in danger, using 3 or 4 words passwords containing no special character or numbers can also put you in a huge trouble.
- Fraudulent texts and phone calls.Beware of any emails or phone calls from numbers claiming to be of your bank. Their indentation is to steal your information to access your account.
- Phishing links.Watch out for unfamiliar or spam links in emails or while browsing online. While they might look legitimate, these links and websites are designed to look official to trick you into entering your information. allow spam detector in gmail if you have gmail account.
- This type of virus can be taken up from sketchy websites and emails, or from the dark websites infect your computer and possibly intercepting your information and passwords.
- Websites and banks affected by security bugs can allow unauthorised people or you may say hackers to access your informations. It is essential that you use different passwords for all of your different online accounts. Otherwise, a hacker on one website could collect info of all your online accounts.
- PublicWi-Fi. Avoid logging into your bank account on public Wi-Fi, specially the wifi provided by the coffee cafes or shops as hackers could use the public connection to intercept your information and access your accounts.
- Social engineering.Some hackers will go the extra mile to access your information by calling your bank and impersonating you. it’s important to not give your personal information to strangers.
How to prevent bank account hacking
Stay safe online
- Check for site security.Most known sites will have privacy and security terms that you can review. Remember Secure URLs start with https — not http.
- Avoid public networks for banking. That means don’t do any types of work related to your finances while you’re out shopping or working. Using public networks can harm your personal security and put your information at risk.
- Don’t give your contact info to strangers. Confirm who’s calling or writing on the other side first before providing any information related to bank accounts and finances .
- Run antivirus and anti-malware software. Doing so could prevent computer viruses and the loss of your information.
- Beware of spam.Email softwares are effective at getting rid of spams most of the time but not everytime. However, hackers design sites that mimic bank websites, so random emails that ask you to go to the bank’s website to confirm your information are most likely a scam.
Use strong passwords
- Don’t use the same passwords.Avoid using the same passwords for multiple online accounts. Otherwise, a security breach on a single website could effect all of your different accounts.
- Keep your passwords and pins safe.That means not giving them out to anyone, including family, friends or anyone soliciting them over email. Also, try not to write them down.
- Strong security questions. The answers to your security questions won’t be verified, so you can choose any answer you’d like. Consider making the questions difficult or the answers harder to guess.
- Two-factor authentication.If possible, sign up for two-factor authentication. This security measure will require you to confirm your identity with your phone or email, decreasing the chances of unauthorized access.
- Use more characters capital and small — and different types of symbols — in your password. The more characters in your password, the better. A mix of random letters, numbers and special characters will take much longer to crack than a simple word or series of numbers.
Be vigilant
- Report any suspicious activity. Report any suspicious people or unverified companies searching about your banking information. You may also want to contact your bank.
- Double-check your transactions. take a Look over your statements for any purchases and report anything suspicious right away.
- Keep an eye, on your credit card histories.If someone gets access to your bank account, they could sign up for credit cards and other financial products that would affect your credit. Check history of your credit if you think your account is at risk.
- Sign up for text alerts.Apps and text alerts can send you a notification whenever your debit card is used. This can help you track spending and immediately know where and when your card is used.