Taking the necessary steps to protect your bank accounts is very important. Illegal access to bank accounts is one of the fastest growing financial crimes today.

Below, you can find out what steps you can take to protect your bank accounts.

Steps You Can Take to Protect

There are a few simple steps anyone can take to minimize the risk of people accessing our accounts via our cards:

Check Your Accounts Regularly:

• Keeping an eye on your account will help you know when something is wrong
• Even accounts that you may not use very frequently must be checked on a regular basis
• Balance your checking account each month to make sure all the purchases being debited from your account are actual purchases you made
• If something does not seem right, contact your bank immediately

Keep Your Pin Secure:

• Your PIN should never be given out to anyone, not even bank tellers
• Most banks have an automated system that will ask you to punch in or say your PIN and then connect you to a teller or bank representative
• Remind your family members and loved ones they are never to give anyone their PIN

Strong Passwords:

• Online banking is the fastest growing sector of banking for scammers and thieves
• One way to ensure your security is to create a password that is strong
• Don’t make your passwords too easy by using your birth date or your child’s name
• It’s a good idea to include a series of numbers, letters and symbols in your password to help ensure security of your accounts

Check The ATM:

• One of the most common ways a scammer will try to get access to your bank account is at the ATM
• This is usually done by installing a ‘skimmer’ over the card reader, which captures the data on your card when you place it into the machine
• Before you place your card into the card reader, always check an ATM for:
  • Signs of tampering, including scratches and marks
  • Anything that looks out of place, for instance different colored plastic around the card slot
  • Anything that moves when it’s pushed (ATMs are built well and don’t usually have loose parts)

Know Who You Are Speaking To:

• Sometimes a scammer will pose as a legitimate organisation in order to get your details from you
• Never hand your credit card details out to someone who has called you
• Instead, call the organisation back, use the number on their website to do so rather than one they give you, just to be safe

Conclusion

If you notice fraudulent activity on your bank account, notify your financial institution immediately so that your card can be put on hold or cancelled.

Hopefully after reading this you understand how to protect your account! Be sure to do proper research and learn how to best protect your account!

Additionally, If you are interested be sure to check out our list of bank bonuses and CD rates!