How to ensure that your internet banking session remains safe? One of the ways to ensure that is to keep in mind to never share your banking details such as login ID, password, OTP with anyone else. Your bank will never demand for any confidential information on email or call. Also, you must use licensed anti-virus software (not a free one) to keep your computer and device free of any viruses or malware intending to steal crucial information, and misuse it.
Apart from these suggestions, here are 4 more important tips to safeguard your internet banking activity.
- Change Internet Banking Password Regularly
The bank will provide you with a user ID and password to login to your internet banking account. This has to be changed regularly by you to keep your account safe. Especially, change your password at regular intervals, say every 3 months. You must keep the password confidential and make sure these are different than the passwords you use for any other logins created for internet banking or any other service.
NOTE: An additional tip is to always manually enter the internet banking URL, as there are many fraudulent websites that have URL name and structure resembling that of the original bank. Look for ‘https://’ in the URL when logging in.
- Be Prepared With All Details for Fund Transfer
When making an online fund transfer, you may tend to take time to forge for your phone to see the OTP or search on the internet for IFS code, and find the account details of the beneficiary. Taking too much time to find the details will delay the transfer process, which can cause expiry of the session at hand, having you to login to your account, and enter the required details all over again.
While taking time to arrange the necessaries for fund transfer does not pose a security check, but if you have people around you then leaving the page open for others to view crucial and private details, is indeed dangerous. Here is a breakdown of details to keep handy, when making an NEFT transaction:
- For instance, you have to transfer Rs. 5000 to a beneficiary who has an account in the State Bank of India.
- Keep the details such as account number, name, SBI Bank IFSC Code, with you, and enter these at sections where prompted.
- You may be asked to enter details on your debit card. So, you should keep the card linked to your bank account ready for access.
- You may be asked to enter a security code sent to your registered mobile number. Thus, make sure the mobile phone has network connectivity, and in immediate access.
- Scrutinize Your Account Regularly
Even if you do not make any transactions, you must keep a check on your bank account every month. Verify if the transactions shown in the bank statement are done by you or not. Check for any amount debited from or credited to your account. You should report to the bank immediately, in case of any suspicious debit or credit amount.
- Steer Away from Login through Public Computers
If you visit a public space such as a shop, cyber cafe, library, or similar, make sure you do not use the internet banking facility, until it is an emergency. This is because, when you are at a crowded place, your password can be seen by others without you being aware about it. Even if you ever a computer for internet banking in a public space, clear the browsing history, cache, and delete the temporary files from the computer. Never prompt the browser to remember your login password and ID.
NOTE: You may have paired WIFI of a public place to your computer or phone, prompting the WIFI to instantly connect with your device, whenever you are in the proximity. It is thus best to disable the WIFI, when not in use.
By adhering to these safe banking tips, you can perform the internet banking activity without any security threats.