Online banking is meant to be a place free from possible hackers, but there are many other websites online where you might be spending money, and these sites can greatly vary in security. Hackers can even compromise your IP address and tap into your information by other means that allows them to get your information without it being tied to these online websites. To make sure that all your online accounts are not compromised, follow these useful tips to keep your money 100 percent safe.
Create A Unique Password
We understand, passwords can be a pain, especially when you are now required to use numbers and other characters that no longer make them “words”, but it is easier to comply, rather than to fight these companies just to have a word that is easier to remember and type. Be sure that your password is something that isn’t easy to guess, such as your birthday or username.
It also pays off to have a password that is different from the ones you use for online retailers such as Amazon, for example, so that no possible thief can easily buy products with your money once they get into your bank account.
Quail Creek in Oklahoma City also recommends having a book of passwords at hand so you can jot down passwords to all of your websites and never forget or lose them. Your password book can either be a small notebook or a specialty password book that you can either buy online or in stores.
Check Your Balance Often
Every time you get a paycheck or an increase in funds directed to your bank account, you should look at your balance regularly so that you are sure that you have all the money that you should. It is also worthwhile to view your transaction history. If there is a withdrawal or transaction that you do not remember making, it could be the sign of a hacker that took money from your account. Do not take suspicious activity lightly.
Don’t Use A Public Computer
Quail Creek in Oklahoma City does not recommend login in from a public computer, such as at a library. If logging into your account on a public computer is necessary, do not leave the computer until you have logged out. You never know who might use the computer next, and it might be somebody that you cannot trust your information.
Keep Your Antivirus Software Up to Date
We cannot count the number of times in which homeowners insist on using outdated antivirus software, only for their computers to still get hacked. Some people just assume that antivirus software from several years ago is still good, like Microsoft Office, but outdated antivirus software is just easier to compromise the older it gets. Hackers constantly tinker with this software to look for workarounds or vulnerable points of entry, and that is why you should update your antivirus software to the latest version as soon as it becomes available.
Have A Private, Stable Internet Connection
Be sure that your home internet always requires a password in order for people to use. Also, it is important to have a router with security settings as well, so that there is virtually no chance for anybody to extract any important information from it. Your router is what allows you access to the internet, so having that access going to another person can be fatal. Your internet can be compromised either by your neighbor next door or somebody a block away with a booster that can reach your home’s Wi-Fi from a longer distance.
