In the onslaught of increasing cyber crimes in recent times using telecommunication networks like Internet and Smartphones, it becomes valuable to be aware of such dangers coming your way and efficiently protect yourself from being victims of cyber crimes.
- Do not respond to the phone calls and SMS/MMS inquiries about PINs and account details for your online bank accounts. When it is necessary to tell about account details, then get confirmation about the caller first without fail. But one should know that the Bank personnel will never ascertain the individual account details over phone. Therefore, it is not safer to inform the Bank account details over phone.
- It is not at all safer to send the credit card and other bank account details through e-mail. Why because, the hackers and cyber criminals will always try to catch you in a trap with phishing mails.
- During online transactions at the time of typing passwords and while entering PIN number at an ATM machine you should take care from the reach of ‘Shoulder Surfing’. While these transactions are done at public places such as internet cafes and public computers in offices, there’re people who may keep an eye by closely observing over your shoulders while you’re typing the PIN numbers and passwords and try to assess the confidential data according to the movements of shoulders. They’ll also try to know the personal details hearing the phone conversations.
- While doing internet banking, instead of using manual keyboard, use the virtual keyboard option provided by those respective online banks. These virtual keypads are most important to use in cybercafes because in these places it becomes easy for cyber criminals to steal passwords using keyloggers. During online banking transactions, some hackers will also try to steal passwords through Spyware, Trojan programs and Malware (malicious apps).
- While doing internet banking, do not take the help of unknown persons. Some persons will come forward to assist wantonly knowing that you’re doing net banking without proper knowledge. So, don’t believe such persons and while in need of some help ask someone you know the best.
- Do not use the computers and mobile devices which have no security software like an updated Anti-Virus software especially while doing online banking transactions. Installation of security software is a must to protect yourself from malicious apps that intend to steal confidential data such as your passwords and PINs. Also to keep safe you’ve to update time to time, the browsers you use. I suggest using Google Chrome – The Free Web Browser Developed by Google which has the auto-update feature turned-on every time your start the browser.
