Six ways to bank safer for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Published on September 28, 2022 | Webster Bank

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, and a time for all of us to refresh our knowledge of cybersecurity best practices to protect our personal information.

At Webster, being Cyber Smart is a part of each day, as we continue to grow and expand our employeesÕ knowledge of cybersecurity best practices through training. Just as important to us is the safety and security of our customersÕ private information, as we work diligently every day to ensure customer records are secure.

To help you protect your information against cyber threats and fraudulent activity, here are six ways you can bank safer this month, and every month:

1) Use strong passwords

While this tip may seem obvious, this is still one of the most common ways hackers gain access to your financial accounts. Be sure to incorporate a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols to create a strong password. Avoid using commonly available information like your birthdate, address or other words and numbers that a hacker can guess or find out by doing an online search.

2) Always log out when you’re finished banking

Your identity is authenticated each time you log on to your Webster Bank account. Once you complete your transaction, be sure to log out of your financial account, especially if you are using a computer that others can view or access.

3) Actively monitor your bank account for signs of fraud

You know your spending habits better than anyone, so itÕs important that you check your transactions on a daily or weekly basis to ensure there are no unauthorized charges on your account.

Online banking makes it a lot easier to monitor your accounts regularly. To keep up with your account activity, you can log on to our website or download our Mobile Banking app.

If you do see a fraudulent charge on your account, you can call us at 800-325-2424.

4) Beware of Phishing

“Phishing” is when a scammer uses a phony message (traditional mail, email, text, or phone call) to trick you into providing personal information. Webster Bank will never ask you for a PIN, password, or account number in an email.

If you receive an email pretending to be from Webster Bank, do not hesitate to forward it to [email protected] or call us.

5) Access your bank information from a secure location

Connecting to Wi-Fi in public place like a local coffee shop, airport or hotel can expose your personal information to hackers. Always access your bank account via a secure Internet connection and from a personal computer or mobile device with up-to-date security software.

6) Do your research before providing your account information

Many of us pay bills and shop online. Before providing your banking information to a company online, itÕs important to do your research on the company and website first. Look to see that youÕre accessing a secure site by checking for the lock symbol and ÒhttpsÓ in front of the URL. Also be sure to research the protections the company offers in case of a data breach.