Category Archives: Mobile Banking, Online Banking & Bill Pay

3 Ways to Ensure Cyber Safety During Tax Time

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The IRS is now officially open for business as tax season gets underway. Here are three ways you can protect yourself over the next few months as you manage important and sensitive, financial documents.

Stay on secured networks: As with other financial transactions, make sure to only e-file your taxes (or view private documents) on a protected Wi-Fi network. You may be tempted to work from a coffee shop or the library, but remember using a public server can make you an easy target for cyber thieves.

Beware of IRS emails: The Internal Revenue Service will never directly reach out to you; if you receive a fraudulent message report it immediately to phishing@irs.gov. Use caution when dealing with these and be sure not to click on web links or open suspicious email attachments.

Set strong passwords: Most of us may think that choosing a password such as “password” or “123456” is an obvious mistake but according to TIME, these are in fact the most popular password picks. Review their list of these commonly used passwords and make necessary adjustments to yours to ensure your information stays safe online.

First Financial members get discounts on TurboTax products – get started today!

Article Source: Wendy Bignon for CUInsight.com

4 Ways to Avoid Cybercrime When Banking and Shopping on Your Smartphone or Tablet

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The nature of identity fraud is changing. With the rollout of smart chips in credit and debit cards making it more difficult to steal using cards themselves, thieves have their eyes on your data instead.

If you don’t protect yourself, you could join the millions of Americans who reported they got hit by identity thieves.

While mobile banking and payments are certainly making it easier and more convenient to handle one’s finances and conduct business, the same ease and convenience make them a ripe target for criminals, says Madeline Aufseeser, CEO of fraud prevention company Tender Armor.

“Because merchants are trying to make it easier for consumers to shop online and on their phones, all your credentials are stored online, including payment information, and you don’t even need a basket — just click a button and boom, you get charged. Because they have gone down this path of making things easier to purchase online, it makes it easier for the fraudsters to get to the data,” said Aufseeser.

Consumers are turning to their phones more often to manage their finances, from depositing funds to paying bills to splitting dinner and a movie among friends. Mobile payment apps are growing in popularity, particularly among Millennials.  A survey by FICO found that 32% of consumers 18 to 34 had used some kind of mobile payment app, and 23% had used a peer-to-peer lending app.  According to consulting firm Accenture, 94% of consumers under 35 access their banking services through the Web and mobile apps.

Don’t be a victim!  Here are 4 ways to protect yourself and your finances:

Safety tip # 1: Update your OS

People who are not careful about how they use their mobile payment apps, where they use them and how they manage their mobile devices, are putting themselves at risk. For starters, avid users of mobile payment services should always keep their mobile operating system, or OS, up to date. Ignoring updates for Android or iOS means ignoring free security patches for vulnerabilities hackers already know how to exploit.

Safety tip # 2: Update that app

The same goes for the apps themselves — keeping a payment app completely up to date means keeping its security protocols as strong as they can be. Some apps introduce new security features, like biometric sign-in capabilities. Aufseeser stresses the importance of two-factor authentication for passwords and personal information to double down on account protection.

Safety tip # 3: Beware of Wi-Fi

Accessing a mobile banking app or a payment app while on public Wi-Fi also makes it easier for criminals to “eavesdrop” on the information one’s phone is sending and accessing, exposing usernames, passwords and any stored information on the phone — including saved credit or debit card info from payment apps. Consumers with data to spare should limit their use of public Wi-Fi hotspots when accessing sensitive information, checking a bank statement, sending a payment, etc. Keep in mind, fraudsters and hackers can eavesdrop on any information sent over public Wi-Fi, so mind your browsing and emailing in public spaces.

Safety tip #4: Watch out for person-to-person payments

Besides guarding yourself from hackers, you have to be on guard about the people you do business with as well. The wild west of mobile payments has tangible, real-world fraud risks associated with it. The incredibly popular person-to-person payment app Venmo, has exposed some of the weaknesses in the mobile payment ecosystem.

While users expect their payments to be safe and instantaneous, the reality is more complicated. Payments take time to process, which leaves a period of time during which scam artists can abuse a clause in Venmo’s user agreement that prohibits “business, commercial, or merchant transactions.” The buyer cancels their payment and the seller cannot get the money back because, technically, they broke Venmo’s rules. In short: If you sell something to someone and they take back their payment, you’re out of luck.

This phenomenon is not unique to Venmo — various frauds and scams have plagued person-to-person payment sites and apps since the dawn of the Internet. Fraudsters populate websites like Craigslist and Ebay and use PayPal scams to rip off unsuspecting users, like having a seller send their item to a different address than is listed on the buyer’s PayPal account, effectively voiding any protections from PayPal and allowing the scammer to recall their payment and keep the item. However, as the Consumer Federation of America noted, there is no federal law that provides payment dispute rights.

Without laws in place, it falls to the company that owns the payment platform to resolve disputes — and when it comes to cybercriminals and fraudsters, they are pretty good at covering their tracks and leaving their victims high and dry. The moral of the story is – be mindful when sending payments with your mobile phone or tablet.

Article Source: 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2016/04/20/security-identity-theft-cybercrime-banking-shopping-mobile-phones/82466908/ by Benjamin Mitchell

8 Online Banking Fraud Prevention Tips

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  1. Choose a bank account that offers some form of multi-factor authentication Keyboard with E-Banking Button.(MFA) for online banking, such as a key code or unique image. First Financial offers this with our Online Banking!
  2. Create a strong password, avoiding common words or phrases, and change it every few months. Also, for security questions, the answer does not have to be the real answer, just one you will remember.
  3. Keep your security software (anti-virus, firewalls, etc.), operating system, and other software up-to-date to ensure that there are no security holes present when using your computer for online banking.
  4. Beware of suspicious emails and phone calls that appear to be from your financial institution asking for account information. Access your online banking account directly by typing the address into your browser, going through your financial institution’s website, and only call your financial institution back via a number that you are familiar with and you know is legitimate.
  5. Access your accounts from a secure location, using computers and networks you know are safe and secure. Avoid using public networks and always look for the padlock icon in the corner of the browser, signaling that the website is encrypted.
  6. Always log out and clear your computer’s cache at the end of each session.
  7. Set up account notifications to immediately alert you if there is any suspicious activity on the account, such as large withdrawals or a low remaining balance.
  8. Monitor your accounts regularly, paying attention to all transactions over the past few months.

If you fall victim to ID Theft, don’t panic – First Financial is here to help! Report the incident regarding any of your First Financial accounts immediately, by calling us at 732.312.1500 or emailing info@firstffcu.com. 

Beware of Counterfeit Clothes and Scam Websites

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It’s important to know that there are scam artists out there who will try to take advantage of you. Be on your guard from a new influx of counterfeit clothes and scam websites. The internet has been a great asset to US clothing shoppers looking for good buys on the best brands. Unfortunately, it has also been a great asset to criminals dealing in counterfeit clothes they try to pass off as the real thing. While the illegal market in fake top brand clothing predates the World Wide Web, the Internet has opened up new avenues of opportunity for those dealing in counterfeit clothes.

The United States has seen a large rise in scam websites that typically promise that popular and expensive items of clothing manufactured by the best known brands can be had at bargain prices. They often have fake web addresses that falsely give the impression that they are operating in the US, when in fact the website owners may be scammers operating out of other countries.

The quality of the clothes is often far below the standards set by the real manufacturers, with some websites operating with no actual inventory. Consumers order, their money is accepted, but they never receive anything at all.

The dealing in counterfeit clothes is not some small scale operation. The sums of money involved are huge, with some estimates putting the total take of larger scam websites at millions of dollars per year. The counterfeit clothes racket also ties into other criminal activities, such as banking fraud and identity theft. Once you give a criminal organization your credit card number, there are a wide array of illegal ways it can be used to rob you again.

Because the clothing scam websites are located overseas, it can be all but impossible to complain about poor quality, orders never received or seek relief in the United States legal system. Even reporting the scammers to the law enforcement agencies of the countries from which they operate will seldom bring any results. Sometimes action can be taken to de-register the scam sites so that others won’t get duped, but even this can be ineffective.

The market for counterfeit clothes is not confined to the United States. In Great Britain last year, hundreds of scam shopping websites were closed for selling fake designer clothing and jewelry. In Ireland, poorly made counterfeit clothing became so widespread that the European Consumer Centre made a special plea to consumers to be cautious when buying clothes online.

The center strongly advises “consumers to do comprehensive research on a trader when shopping on the Internet” a spokeswoman said. She continued to suggest that customer look for contact details, as any missing information is a red flag.

It’s also important to know what too look for with counterfeit products. Examine the product as closely as you can online, counterfeit designer goods often have logos that are fuzzy, misspelled, or otherwise off from the brand, something a high quality designer would never allow to ship. The stitching on counterfeit merchandise is often sloppy. If you can see the stitching without much effort, it is nearly guaranteed to be a fake.

Caution should always be used online, but becoming familiar with the genuine product and examining potential deals is one of the best ways to stay safe.

As counterfeit production becomes more elaborate, the proper tags do not necessarily mean a genuine product. As a result, many manufacturers of high quality clothing have taken extra steps to ensure their product stands out. Holographic logos and serial numbers are just a few methods that can ensure a legitimate purchase. Know the designer’s key marks and beware of products that lack them.

Be cautious of high fashion clothing being advertised at greatly reduced prices and only pay using a secure, refundable, method such as a credit card or a secure service such as PayPal.

Make sure you use online retailers that do provide genuine merchandise at a discount. In the end, you’re your own best advocate to prevent getting scammed. Use your common sense and know what you’re buying, and remember the old saying that “if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.”

Protect yourself with First Financial’s ID Theft Protection! To learn more about our ID Theft Protection products, click here and enroll today.

Original article source courtesy of Lori Kelley of SavingAdvice.com.

8 Ways to Protect Your Identity While Shopping Online

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Concept of mobile shoppingAs we move into the most frenzied shopping season of the year, scam artists will be on the prowl for vulnerable shoppers. To avoid becoming a victim, consider taking steps now to keep your financial accounts and personal information safe.

1. Skip attachments and hyperlinks. Even attachments from people you know can be nefarious, since those acquaintances could be infected with a computer virus. If the email contains unusual or scant wording, don’t open the attachment. The same logic applies to hyperlinks in emails (or requests for information received over text message). First hover over the link to make sure it’s going to direct you to a valid address.

2. Don’t make purchases over coffee shop lattes. Any public Wi-Fi connection, such as those offered at coffee shops or libraries, carry extra risks, since they aren’t private. Try to avoid shopping online or engaging in any financial transactions, like logging into your bank account, from such hot spots.

3. Protect your smartphone. Web browsers and retailer apps on mobile devices make it easy to shop on the go, but doing so can also expose shoppers to extra risks since many phones don’t have the same kind of data encryption that’s often installed on computers. Even taking a relatively simple step, like enabling the password lock feature on your phone, will make it harder for a thief to access private data stored on the phone in case it’s lost or stolen. The computer security company McAfee also warns against downloading apps that might steal personal information.

4. Don’t trust your “friends.” Hackers target social media, including Facebook and Twitter, because they know it’s easier to get people to click on a link that appears to be recommended from a friend. McAfee has identified dozens of examples, including free dinner offers at Cheesecake Factory and fake mystery shopper invitations. Offers that sound too good to be true, such as free iPads or free iPhones, are also a common lure. The company cautions against clicking on fake alerts from friends, who may have been hacked themselves, and avoiding shortened links on Twitter that claim to offer deals.

5. Open e-cards with caution. They can be cute, but they can also be malicious. McAfee warns that some e-cards download viruses onto your computer when you download them. To avoid that outcome, the company suggests only opening e-cards from domain names that you recognize.

6. Upgrade your passwords. The holiday season can serve as a good reminder to give your passwords a makeover; security experts recommend changing them regularly as a precaution against hackers. Avoid common and simple words, use long combinations of words that also incorporate numbers or symbols, and never use duplicate passwords for multiple accounts. Sites that offer two-step authentication, such as Twitter and Gmail, can also add another layer of protection.

7. Check up on an e-retailer before making purchases. Some fly-by-night operations take advantage of the uptick in shopping around the holiday season to collect cash without ever mailing out the goods in return, warns the Better Business Bureau. The same applies to in-person exchanges on Craigslist or other online sites. To protect yourself, the bureau recommends never wiring money or paying in advance, and bringing a friend to any in-person exchanges.

8. Review your statements. The first sign of identity theft is often an unfamiliar charge on a credit card or bank statement; reviewing those statements carefully and contacting your financial institution or card provider with any concerns can prevent a theft from expanding. Credit cards usually come with some measure of automatic protection, as long as you report the scam relatively quickly.

Following these tips might leave you feeling overly cynical about the world, but the real downer would be dealing with a stolen identity just as the holiday season is heating up.

Don’t wait until it’s too late! To learn more about our ID Theft Protection products, click here and enroll today.

Article Source: Kimberly Palmer for US News – Money, Http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/09/16/8-ways-to-protect-your-identity-while-online-shopping