How to Keep Your Online & Mobile Banking Secure

Online and mobile banking are helpful ways for people to manage their money whenever they want. But scammers continually try to find ways to get our information. Keeping our personal information safe when we shop, bank, or use social media is essential. Here are six tips and tricks to help you keep your online and mobile banking safe.

1. Use Strong Passwords

Creating a strong password that is easy for you to remember, but difficult for others to guess, is the best first line of defense against scammers. Your password should include at least 15 characters, including letters, numbers, and symbols.

The Dos and Don'ts of Passwords

• DO make passwords unique and difficult for humans and computers to guess.

• DO store usernames and passwords using secure device features.

• Do NOT use the same username or password across multiple accounts.

• Do NOT store usernames or passwords on a piece of paper, notes app of a phone or laptop, or on the back of a bank card.

2. Securely Store Passwords and Usernames

Apple and Android products offer similar features for storing device usernames and passwords. We recommend using the iCloud keychain or syncing to your Google account to store passwords. When you store this information locally, it is protected by end-to-end encryption, making it extremely difficult for scammers to intercept it.

We do NOT recommend saving usernames and passwords while accessing online banking via a web browser. Manually insert credentials each time you access your account. When saving to the web browser, it is much easier for someone to access your account if your device is stolen.

3. Be Wary of Suspicious Emails

Scammers are constantly evolving and looking for ways to intercept your information. Phishing emails are a common tactic that imitates your financial institution, the IRS, or other credible businesses. This may seem simple, but many consumers overlook phishing emails.

How do I spot a Phishing Email? The contents include attached documents with foreign file extensions, grammar and spelling mistakes in the email, urgent calls to action, unprovoked threats, and embedded links.

• Look over the email address. Do you see anything odd about the name? Scammers will slightly alter credible email addresses from financial institutions to try and trick you into overlooking that minor detail.

• Let's take another pass at the email body. Typos are common in phishing emails because scammers try to push as many as possible to consumers. They tend not to pay attention to detail.

Frandsen Bank & Trust or other financial institutions will NOT request sensitive information via email.

4. Don't Open Unexpected Attachments

Do not open file attachments from unsolicited sources; they may contain malware. Malware is installed automatically when consumers download attachments from emails or texts. Hackers can obtain browser history, passwords, account details, and other identifiable information and sell it to third parties.

5. Protect Your Device

When using online or mobile banking features, ensure the necessary safety measures are in place. Smartphones, laptops, and tablets can be unlocked using various verification methods, such as facial recognition, fingerprint, password, and drawing pattern. Do not store sensitive information in unsecured locations on mobile devices, such as account numbers, passwords, and security answers to online accounts.

• Scammers like to contact consumers to scare them into doing things out of impulse. If you receive an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to be from Frandsen Bank & Trust, hang up and contact a local banker at a trusted number or come into an office to verify any concerns.

6. Download Only Trusted Apps

Downloading the wrong mobile banking app is a good and easy way for scammers to compromise your financial information. It is common for banks to update their online and mobile banking features, but that also requires appropriate and secure communication. Scammers will try to take advantage of this and create fake texts, phone calls, or emails directing you to download an app to log back in.

• Have you ever heard of a bank contacting you via text to download an app that was not communicated through other channels? If you receive a text directing you to download and provide credentials, report this to your local Frandsen Bank & Trust banker so we can inform personnel and customers of the issue.

Frandsen Bank & Trust offers portability with online mobile banking services. Our team uses multi-layered security to keep personal information safe while providing end users with easy, convenient access. If you ever suspect malicious behavior impacting your finances, please don't hesitate to visit your location for assistance.