December 13, 2021
The threat of financial scams is stressful, but you can protect your accounts with a few easy tips. Read more to learn what strategies are best to prevent your personal account information from being used in common scams.
Catching suspicious activity on your credit cards and bank statements early can stop a fraud before it goes too far. Make a habit of logging into your accounts daily to reconcile your charges and look out for any suspicious charges to report to your bank or card company. Look out for a small withdrawal or deposit into an account from an unfamiliar source. Criminals will often make a small charge of $10 or less to avoid being detected or reported to bank security. If you suspect there is a suspicious charge on your account, call the account experts at Citizens First Bank for help.
Don’t fall into the trap of phishing where scammers will impersonate your bank, credit card company or the government to obtain your passwords or personal information. Remember that your bank or the IRS will never use email, text, or calls to require your information. Always contact your bank before submitting personal information. It is important to protect your old financial documents by shredding them for disposal or storing them in a secure location.
Avoid using general security questions that could be guessed by a scammer who has access to your information available online through social media. Choose questions with answers that cannot be found online. Use a strong password that you change often to avoid your accounts from being compromised, and you can prevent larger security problems from threatening your account.
When purchasing items online with a credit card, never use public Wi-Fi. Scammers can infect your computer with malware or access your information on unsecured networks. With so many online services that require your information, it is important to only share it with trusted sources.
Visit your local Citizens First Bank in person or online to learn more about account security assistance.