Online Financial Tips

In today’s modern world, people use every resource to make their hectic lifestyles a little easier. The World Wide Web has made many menial tasks much simpler and quicker to perform than they might otherwise be done through conventional methods. An email to Australia, for example, can be delivered in seconds whereas the same letter sent by standard mail could take several days or even weeks to arrive at its destination. Similarly, with a few clicks of your mouse it’s possible to have your weekly groceries packed and delivered to your front door without you ever needing to leave the house.

However, for many World Wide Web users, online banking is a bone of contention as doubts about the security of online banking remain abundantly clear. Recent figures have revealed that 21 per cent of British internet users feared being a victim of a phishing scam or ID theft more than car theft, burglary and even mugging. However, online banking needn’t be an ordeal, so how do you protect yourself from fraudsters?

Firstly, the way you set up your login details for your online banking account is vital to protecting the integrity of your account. Many people tend to choose passwords that are easily memorable, such as a child’s or pet’s name, but these can be easily guessed. Instead, choose a username and password consisting of a mixture of letters and numbers, and avoid using the same password for other online accounts.

Secondly, check to make sure the site you are on is secure. To do this, check that your internet browser displays a small padlock icon in the bottom of your screen. This icon indicates that any information you enter and send through the internet will be encrypted, making it much harder for internet thieves to intercept and decipher the data.

Phishing has become something of a buzzword when it comes to internet fraud, with losses due to phishing scams reaching

• Paying Bills Through Internet Banking Services
• Internet Banking