As we collectively spend more and more time doing business online the threat from hackers grows ever more real. Guy Adams offers some tips to make your online life just a little bit more secure.
Open account for net shopping
If fraudsters clean out your main bank accounts, you could lose everything.
So set up a dedicated ‘online shopping’ current account with a separate bank for all internet and telephone purchases and monthly direct debits. Keep a few hundred pounds in there and top it up only when necessary. This limits your potential loss and cuts the number of firms able to obtain information about your main account.
Choose your bank wisely
Some organisations are far better than others at fraud protection. Which? magazine published a league table of banks ranked by the number of complaints from customers about fraud. The worst, by a long way, was Barclays. It had 598 complaints in the last financial year, of which 56 per cent were resolved by the regulator in favour of the customer.
Santander, Nationwide and Lloyds also fared poorly; the ‘best’ banks were Natwest and RBS. Which? also ranked debit card providers, putting Lloyds and Nationwide on top and Barclays and HSBC at the bottom. For credit cards, John Lewis and M&S bank were best and Halifax and Lloyds worst.
Use security apps
Help your bank or card provider to help you. Consider using mobile phone apps to manage your accounts as they were developed with security in mind and are less vulnerable than normal computers.
Make use of card readers that many banks offer to online customers. These devices resemble small calculators and create additional passwords to verify identity when you log on using a debit card and PIN.
Also sign up to additional security systems (such as ‘Verified by Visa’) that many card companies offer to protect against unauthorised card use. They require you to enter an extra password (kept secret from the firm you are paying) when you make online purchases.
Clean up old data
Spend a few hours purging old online ‘user accounts’. Shops, utility providers and other firms you have dealt with in the past may still retain your personal information and bank or card details.
To reduce the risk of hackers getting this data, use bank statements to make a list of firms you have used, go to their websites and delete any ‘auto-saved’ personal information you find there. Companies should destroy your details six years after your last dealings with them. If you suspect a firm is failing to comply, write them a letter.
You should also:
– Ensure your email account is protected by a ‘two-step’ verification process, so you are sent an alert if someone logs in from a new computer.
– Look out for a padlock symbol or the letters ‘https://’ at the start of a web address – the sign of a secure website.
– Be wary of all telephone calls or emails asking for cash or personal details. A reputable bank or company will never you ask for your PIN code. – Daily Mail