Accessing personal information online, especially your bank account, can be risky. According to a Statista report, the estimated annual cost of U.S. cybercrime in 2024 is $452.3 billion. That’s why using as many security features and fraud prevention resources as possible is important.

Here are six ways you can protect your personal information and accounts online.

1. Enroll in additional authentication.

• ‘Quick Login’: provides a seamless and secure way to log into Online Banking on your desktop by allowing you to approve login attempts via push notifications on your registered mobile device.
• Biometric Authentication: enhances security by using facial or fingerprint recognition, eliminating the need to enter your username or password. If you have a smartphone that supports biometrics, you may already be using this. For example, iPhones use biometrics to make downloading apps, restarting the device, or updating software, quicker and more secure. 

FirstBank’s Fraud and Security teams monitor customer account activity 24/7 to ensure all logins and transactions are made by the correct registered device and check for any red flags or anomalies to help protect customers from unauthorized access and fraudulent activity.

2. Set up security questions.

Additional security measures, like a series of personal questions, may be helpful when securing your accounts online. These question prompts should be answered in a way that is unique to you and complex enough to prevent unauthorized users from accessing your Online Banking profile. For example, ‘What is the nickname of your grandfather?’ or ‘What street did your best friend in high school live on?’ have different answers for everyone, so it’s harder for scammers to guess correctly.

3. Update your password often.

While it’s important to adopt various security measures, some users prefer the simplicity of using one password to access their accounts. If you’re in this group, here are some things you should do:

• Use unique passwords that combine words, numbers, symbols, and both upper and lower-case letters.
• Avoid using the same password across different sites to prevent general access if one site is compromised.
• Do not write down your password with any identifying details. Consider using password management software like Keeper Security or NordPass, which helps store, generate, and update your passwords.
• Remember, your bank will never ask for your Online Banking password. If you accidentally share it, you should immediately reset your password and contact your bank.

4. Perform software updates.

Keeping your devices and applications up to date will also help cover any security weaknesses. For most devices, you can sign up for automatic updates, which gives you one less security feature to worry about.

5. Sign up for Account/Security Alerts.

Account and Security Alerts can help you stay on top of your finances and monitor who has access to your account. Various alerts let you know when your balance is getting low, when there’s a withdrawal or deposit, and when suspicious or unauthorized changes are made to your account. Security Alerts are triggered by changes to your:

• Physical or email address
• Phone number
• Online Banking username or password
• Security questions
• Alert delivery setting

6. Log out of your account.

You should always log out of your accounts online, especially if you’re accessing them on public or shared devices. Simply exiting or closing out of a browser without officially logging out of your account leaves it vulnerable to hackers. 

If you believe your Online Banking account has been compromised, immediately contact FirstBank at 800-964-2444.

Learn more by visiting our Fraud Prevention page at efirstbankblog.com.

Online Banking is free with eStatements. $3 per month with paper statements. Online Banking is required to use mobile and online products.

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