How to bank online safely Tips to protect yourself against online banking fraud
There are several steps you can take to make sure your online bank account is safe.
1) Never follow a link from an email purporting to be from your bank.
2) Never disclose personal details, such as your password, on an email or over the phone.
3) Regularly check your online account for suspicious transactions.
4) Make sure there's a padlock symbol in your browser before you enter your account details and that the website address changes from starting with 'http' to 'https' - this means the connection is secure.
5) Protect your computer with good security software.
6) Avoid accessing your online bank account from a public computer or unsecured wireless network.
7) If you have a wireless network at home, make sure you have activated the security settings on your wireless router.
8) If you experience problems logging on, telephone your bank, don't email it. And make sure you log out properly when you've finished banking online.
9) Make sure your password is a mixture of letters and numbers. Don't use an email password - if you access your email from an insecure computer, scammers could steal your password details and use them to access your account.
10) If you think you've been a victim of online banking fraud, notify your bank immediately. Your bank should refund any money unless it can show you've been fraudulent or grossly negligent.
- Need individual help on banking online safely - call the Which? Money Helpline
- Is your bank account provider a Which? Recommended Provider?
- To find out how well your banking provider did - check out our Customer Satisfaction results
