banking - Online Banking - How You Can Keep Your Money Safe

Is online banking safe? To those who fear being ripped off by cyber-thieves, the answer is a resounding "no." There are criminals lurking online just waiting for an opportunity to steal your banking information, they will tell you. Yes, it's true, there are cyber thieves waiting to retrieve your information. Just as there are thieves waiting to steal your mail and retrieve your vital information, or thieves waiting to steal your credit cards and rip you off. But, if you fear doing your banking online there is one thing you need to know. Online banking can actually HELP keep you safer, IF you follow simple safety tips. How can online banking help keep you safer? By allowing you to monitor your account between statements. How many times have you received your statement only to find something was amiss? Perhaps you find a check you remember writing, only it's for an amount greater than what you wrote it for. Or you find ATM purchases and withdrawals you didn't make. If you're able to spot problems quicker, you're able to avert a disaster down the line. Online banking can be safe if you follow certain safety rules: Be very careful when choosing passwords for online accounts Use some common sense. Don't choose your birthdate. Don't choose pets' names if you carry those names around with you in your purse or wallet, or if those around you are familiar with your pets' names. Thieves are smart enough to try birthdates and pet names. Use strong passwords - that means a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, symbols and numbers that can't be easily guessed. Some experts suggest long words, or two long words broken up with symbols or numbers. Do not share your passwords with anyone Well, that certainly seems simple enough. However, are you inadvertently sharing your password with strangers? Do you have passwords written down in your purse or wallet that could fall into the wrong hands if lost or stolen? And, remember, it's not just strangers you have to worry about. According to one survey done by www.idtheftcenter.org the victim respondents indicated that 43% of them thought they knew the thief; 28% said the thief had done this to other family members as well. Don't have a file on your computer with your passwords Again, a computer, particularly a laptop, can be stolen, along with all your sensitive passwords. And, if you ever get rid of your old computer make sure you take out the hard drive and destroy it, along with all sensitive data. Use different passwords for different accounts If you only use one username and password for all accounts and that information is compromised for one account, it's then compromised for all accounts. Don't respond to emails asking for personal information No matter how official the email looks, don't give out your personal information. If you receive an email saying your account is going to be suspended, call the bank yourself, with a phone number from your bank statements, not a phone number provided in the email. And, never click on a link in such an email. Don't give personal information in unsolicited phone calls If you receive a phone call purporting to be from your bank and they ask for personal information, don't give it to them. Again, call your bank with a phone number from your own bank statements and see if the phone call is legitimate. When using an ATM, don't allow anyone to see you keying in your code So you look a little paranoid when you cover the keypad with your body or hand. It's your money and information you're protecting. Pick up your mail as soon as possible Don't let your mail sit in your box overnight. There may be a banking statement just waiting for a thief. And, if you can, purchase a locking mailbox which will thwart a future thief. Check your online account regularly Monitor your account to check for any unusual activity. Online banking can be a wonderful timesaver. It can allow you to write bills online, transfer money between accounts and avoid long lines at the bank. And, if you follow basic safety rules it can also be a stress-free endeavor. Shari Hearn is a writer and website creator. Visit her website at http://www.safetytips411.com to learn more about safety related tips and products, such as car alarm systems Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shari_Hearn banking - Second Chance Checking Accounts You never realize just how much you depend on a checking account to keep your life simple until you no longer have one. Unfortunately for some, this is a life lesson they get a crash course in. Writing bad checks or repeatedly overdrawing your bank account, can quickly get you blacklisted on ChexSystems. Once this happens, banks are very unlikely to let you open up a bank account with them until problems with your previous bank account have been cleared up. And even then, some banks still won't open an account for you. So how are you supposed to go about fixing your credit if banks aren't willing to help you out? There is a small portion of the banking industry that recognizes the need to help individuals who are looking to correct past mistakes. If you've been blacklisted on ChexSystems it is still not impossible to get a checking account. These types of checking accounts are known as second chance checking accounts. Most mainstream, nationally recognized lenders don't offer them, and since these types of accounts represent such a small niche of the banking industry, you're going to have look high and low where you live to see what banks do. Most banks who offer second chance checking accounts are relatively small and local, and may in fact, be the only branch for miles around. The lack of branches may be inconvenient, but it is a small price to pay for getting your credit back in order. Second chance checking accounts generally offer many of the same features as a regular checking account, but with a few added safety measures in place designed to protect the bank, as well as help you rebuild your credit and get it back on track. Safety measures: Accounts are usually checkless meaning you do not get access to check-writing privileges. There is no possibility of overdrafting your account because your spending limit is set to the balance of your account. Aside from these safeguards, most second chance checking accounts provide you with an ATM card, online banking, online bill pay, and online monthly statements. The criteria for being eligible to open a second chance checking account is that you must have cleared up any problems with the previous bank who had your name added to ChexSystems, meaning that you must have paid back any money you owe. Most second chance checking accounts also usually require a minimum deposit upon being opened, which is also required to be in the checking account at all times, as well as a monthly charge, which can range from $10 to $25, depending on the bank. Being blacklisted on ChexSystems doesn't mean you will be forced to cash your checks and carry cash around for the next five years. Don't do this. It won't help fix your situation. Instead, take charge and find a bank who offers second chance checking accounts. Follow their rules closely and within a year or two your credit will have improved and you will more than likely be given a regular checking account again.