Best Interest Rate Banks

The allure of a high yield savings account with a reputable online bank can be very strong. One of the biggest risks of banking online has to do with the fact that you’re banking online! The internet, while secure in some respects, is still a dangerous place. There are software programs that will record everything you type and send it off to a thief’s computer. There are malicious emails floating around that are designed to trick you into entering your username and password on a fraudulent site.

Here are a few helpful ways you can protect yourself:

• Use a bank with strong protections: A username, password, and special picture is only the beginning. Banks have begun adding a plethora of special login procedures ranging from passcode fobs to dozens of questions to on-screen keyboards. HSBC Direct has a somewhat annoying login requirement that you click buttons on an on-screen keyboard in order to log in. While annoying, that on screen keyboard nullifies key-logging programs because you don’t enter in that special password.
• Never click on an email: If Bank of America mails you a special message, type bankofamerica.com directly into your browser and log in there.
• Don’t ever call a phone number in an email: Another common phishing technique is to tell you to call a special number, which goes to the thief or one of his associates. If you need to call someone, call the number on the back of your debit card or off their site. They can transfer you to somewhere else.
• Use FireFox or Chrome: IE is notoriously bad about security, you can do better with FireFox or Google’s Chrome browsers.
• Don’t use an insecure network or computer: If you’re in a Starbucks or Panera, don’t use do any sensitive banking; wait until you get home. Don’t log into anywhere at the hotel’s business center. If it’s not your personal computer, don’t use it.
• Update your anti-virus and anti-spy-ware software packages: That funny video you watched last week may have installed some bad stuff on your computer, keep your anti-virus and anti-spy-ware software applications up to date at least once a week if not more.

Thieves are getting more and more clever, but by taking some simple precautions you make yourself a much harder target.