Safe Online Banking

The Ultimate Target

To a hacker, your bank account is the ultimate prize. They don’t want your Netflix password; they want the ability to initiate wire transfers and drain your checking account. Because the stakes are so high, banks provide advanced security tools—but they often require you to turn them on.

3 Rules for Bulletproof Banking

1. The “Dedicated Email” Strategy

Most people use one email address (like johndoe@gmail.com) for everything: signing up for random newsletters, buying shoes, and logging into their bank. This is dangerous because if a random shoe store is hacked, the hackers now know the email address you use to log into your bank.

The Fix: Create a brand new, highly secure email address (e.g., jd.finances.secure@proton.me) that you use exclusively for your bank and retirement accounts. Never use this email for shopping or social media. If hackers don’t even know the username to your bank account, they cannot guess the password.

2. Turn on Login Alerts

Almost every banking app has a notification settings panel.

• Find the setting for Login Alerts and turn it on for SMS and Email.
• Every time someone logs into your account, your phone will buzz. If you are sitting on the couch watching TV and your phone buzzes saying “New login from Windows PC,” you instantly know a hacker has your password.
• Also, set up Transaction Alerts for any purchase over $0.01. This allows you to catch fraudulent credit card charges the exact second they happen.

3. Ditch the Debit Card Online

Never type your debit card number into a website.

• When a hacker steals a Credit Card number, they are stealing the bank’s money. The bank will reverse the charge immediately, and you lose nothing.
• When a hacker steals a Debit Card number, they are stealing your actual money straight out of your checking account. You will have to fight with the bank for weeks to get your rent money back.
• Use a Credit Card for all online shopping, or use secure intermediary services like PayPal or Apple Pay, which hide your actual card numbers from the websites you buy from.

What to do if you make a mistake

If you accidentally clicked a phishing link or noticed a weird charge on your account, speed is your best friend:

1. Open your banking app and immediately tap the “Lock Card” or “Freeze Card” button.
2. Call the fraud number on the back of your physical card (do not Google the phone number, as scammers run fake tech support ads on Google).
3. Ask the bank to issue a new card with a new number.