Have you either personally encountered identity theft or seen someone on social media complaining about being defrauded of funds from an account? The popular term is “scam”. It is usually a painful experience and with a total of over 16.7 million victims of identity theft in 2017 alone, it is clear that this crime is growing at an alarming rate. Here are helpful tips to ensure you don’t fall victim.
Use Strong Passwords: Having a weak password is like begging to be defrauded. When setting up your passwords for platforms that contain sensitive information like your email or your mobile banking app, it is important that you use strong passwords. A strong password should be over 8 characters, inclusive of lower and upper case letters, a number and a symbol.
Do Not Share Your PIN or Passwords: Your ATM PIN is not a problem, don’t share it. This is a tip that everyone knows but does not abide by. Remember that not everyone is who they claim to be and you cannot trust everyone. So, refrain from sharing your PIN or passwords with people. It is not safe.
Be Careful About Using Unsecured Wifi: Save your data or protect your funds -- the choice is yours. While a lot of people get really excited about free Wifi, they forget that when a Wifi connection is unsecured, hackers can eavesdrop on your connection to find and gather all kinds of information including your passwords and PINs. Ask yourself, is the free Wifi worth the risk?
Only Use Reputable Websites When Making Purchases: There is no such thing as being too careful. Are you buying a new pair of shoes, paying for your bills or trying to book a flight? Don’t just put your sensitive information on any website. Research the website, check reviews and be sure it is not a front for identity theft.
Check Your Account Balance and Statement Regularly: It’s better to be safe than sorry. It takes most people about 3 months to figure out that they are victims of identity theft but it would probably take a lot less if they looked through their account for any irregularities often. Go through your statements and balances just to be safe.
Arm yourself with knowledge, watch these videos on how to avoid smishing attacks; how to identify phishing sites; and cautiousness at the ATM. Remember that Access Bank will never ask for your confidential account details. Call the bank’s customer care line or visit the nearest bank branch to block missing or stolen cards immediately it occurs. For further enquiries, send an email to contactcentre@accessbankplc.