CYBERSECURITY experts have shared five ways to protect yourself from bank scams that target your money.
Hackers and scammers are always trying to steal money from unsuspecting bank users.
In an effort to protect people from falling victim, cybersecurity firm McAfee has shared five steps users can take now.
STRONG PASSWORD
You’d be surprised at how many people don’t set a strong passcode for their banking accounts.
However, experts consider setting a strong passcode one of the most important things you can do.
“In general, avoid simple passwords that people can guess or easily glean from other sources (like your birthday, your child’s birthday, the name of your pet, and so on),” McAfee said.
“Additionally, make them unique from account to account,” the firm added.
USE 2FA
Two-factor authentication (2FA) protects your accounts by requiring an extra level of verification before logging in – such as a text confirmation.
“Two-factor authentication is practically a standard, so much so that you already might be using it right now when you bank or use certain accounts,” McAfee noted.
“If not, you can see if your bank offers it as an option in your settings the next time you log in. Or, you can contact your bank for help to get it set up,” they added.
BE WARY OF PHISHING SCAMS
Phishing is a scam where attackers deceive people into revealing sensitive information.
Typically, the goal of the scammer is to steal a user’s banking information, identity, or passwords.
Cybercriminals who conduct phishing attacks often pretend to be legitimate companies, friends, or acquaintances.
Signs of a phishing scam include typos, urgent messages, and strange emails from people you don’t know.
BE CAREFUL WHEN USING PUBLIC WI-FI
Using public Wi-Fi networks could spell danger for you and your wallet because a lot of hackers linger on them.
This is due to public Wi-Fi often lacking the security measures and encryption needed to protect a smartphone user’s information.
In other instances, malicious public Wi-Fi networks are set up with the intention of targeting people.
As such, you’ll want to never access sensitive apps while using public Wi-Fi.
UPDATE SOFTWARE
One of the most important things you can do to keep your phone secure is to keep its software updated.
That’s because new updates provide security patches that bolster your device’s defenses.
You can check for security updates from your device’s Settings menu.
