Top Five Things You Should Do to Protect Yourself

This Consumer Alert from the Federal Trade Commission summarizes five things every consumer should do to protect themselves online.

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Scams, Pop-ups, Phone Calls, Emails, and Texts

Scammers use these tricks to persuade you to give away your personal information, gain access to your accounts, or send them your money.

• A message pops up on your computer telling you malware has been detected or that a problem needs to be corrected
• You get a phone call from someone claiming you won a prize, that your computer has an issue, or that you owe money
• You receive an email with City Bank’s or some other well-known company’s logo, but it’s asking you to click on links, download attachments, or call them back
• You receive a random text message with a link to a phone number to call
  

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Sending Money by Wire, ACH, or P2P

Be absolutely certain before sending funds.

Unsuspecting consumers worldwide lose thousands of dollars every year voluntarily sending scammers money by wire transfer, ACH, P2P, or even through the purchase of gift cards. Make absolutely certain the transaction is legitimate. In most cases, once the transfer is initiated, the funds cannot be retrieved.

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Always Use Multi-factor (Two-Step) logins

City Bank requires multi-factor logins, but other companies may not. When those companies get hacked, cybercriminals can download all their customers'  email addresses, usernames, and passwords. If you’re one of those customers, cybercriminals can log in to your account. Multi-factor logins help stop this by requiring you to enter a temporary code sent to your mobile device each time you login from a device you’ve never used before.

Use Strong Passwords and Don’t Reuse Them

• Select passwords that are not obvious.
• Avoid using personal information in passwords, such as your last name or birthday.
• Use a passphrase – a sentence or unique phrase that you will remember but can’t be easily guessed
• Never use the same password for multiple websites.
• Frequently change your passwords and do not share user IDs or passwords with anyone else, even family members.
• If you have too many different usernames and passwords to remember, use a Password Manager.

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Protect Your Computer and Laptop

• Always use a computer and operating system that is current and supported by the manufacturer
• Always keep your computer up to date with the latest patches. Enable automatic updates
• Use a reputable Anti-Virus software tool and keep it updated
• Don’t click on random web/email advertisements or visit questionable websites
• Never download software that gives control of your computer to someone else

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Monitor Your Account Activity

City Bank makes it easy to monitor your account activity using Online/Mobile banking or electronic statements. Always be on the lookout for anything suspicious. Use customized alerts available in Online/Mobile to send you texts and emails when anything important occurs in your account, such as:

• Change of address or contact information
• Login from a new/unknown device
• A new payee is added
• An external transfer is initiated

Call us at (800) OUR BANK (800-687-2265) to learn how to set up account alerts.