Digitization in the banking sector has made its way into people’s life. It has increased people’s dependence on smartphones and the internet. Customers now consume banking services from the comfort of their homes. It is evident that digitization has made lives of customers easy and convenient. Nevertheless, as there is a dark side to everything, it is to digitization in the banking sector as well.
The disadvantage is – mobile and internet hackers with the intent of stealing money. Hackers can easily steal money as customers often forgot to use safety measures while carrying a net banking transaction. Well, the good news is the possibility to remain safe from this theft. An online banking customer has to follow a few steps to keep his account safe during sending or receiving money in his bank account. Let’s take a look at them.
Avoid Public Wi-Fi
The biggest threat to a smartphone is connecting to public Wi-Fi. An internet hacker can sit in between the customer and the hotspot to trace all the mobile data easily. An unsecured connection is a convenient opportunity for hackers to introduce malware in the end user’s device. So, it is advised not to use public Wi-Fi or hotspots while initiating banking transactions.
However, the user can consider setting up a VPN software in the device—it creates a secure tunnel between the user and the internet.
Use Genuine Anti-virus Software
To avoid online money theft, it is imperative to protect the computer from malware, phishing, and other such security threats. The customer can use genuine anti-virus software. It will help in protecting the PC and smartphone and removing spyware that may steal user sensitive information.
Subscribe for Mobile Notification
If not already done, do it now! The mobile notifications alert the customer quickly of all the suspicious transactions. If the transaction is within the limit or exceeds it, the user gets a notification. In fact, they tell about all the online transactions. Additionally, the banks also tell about the unauthorised or unsuccessful login attempts to the net-banking account.
Change Passwords at Regular Intervals
The user needs to make this into his habit to change his net-banking password regularly. Ensure that a different and strong password is created each time. It should be a combination of alphabets, numbers, and special character.
Don’t Sign-in to the Net Banking Account via mailers
The bank URL is the only safe option to sign-in to the net banking account. It is suggested to avoid signing-in via promotional or any other type of mailers as they may redirect the user to any third party website. A bank would never require the user to enter his login credentials.
Avoid Public Computers
If the user uses a public computer, there is a certain amount of risk on his credentials. Nevertheless, the user can clear the cache and browsing history, and delete temporary files from the computer. It is worth mentioning that the user should not allow the browser to remember the ID and password. Or he can go INCOGNITO.
Check the Account Regularly
Most banks provide ‘login history’ or ‘last logged’ history tab on their websites. If the user finds any irregularities, he can immediately change his password.
