Internet banking is becoming a larger part of any individual’s daily banking routine with the ease and convenience of this service allowing people to manage their finances all from the comfort of their own computer.

Online banking is the new face of the banking industry with bank customers now able to pay bills, check balances, manage credit cards and transfer funds online for free at their own convenience while banks utilize the online option as a cheap alternative to over-the-counter services.

Yet as a result of all this online information, new security measures are needed to protect users from fraud, scams and personal identity theft with internet banking offering unprecedented access to a person’s details.

The online banking economy industry means there is literally billions of dollars accessible online demanding a level of security of the highest standard to protect customers from hackers.

Online banking security has become a major priority for financial institutions worldwide with more customers using this portal as their principle choice of banking. However, coinciding with this is the increase in the number of bank account fraud and cases of hacked internet accounts, with the number of cases rising by almost one third every year.

So it is now more important than ever to take all necessary precautions to protect yourself when banking online by using security programs, passwords and adequate authentication techniques.

Additionally, there are simple monitoring and control program services will be able to keep the credit cardholder up to date of all spending activities that occur on a card, which can prove hugely beneficial for those who may have had their account details stolen.
There are a number of simple everyday steps that every online bank account holder can do in order to protect themselves online.
Internet Banking Security Checklist:
Keep all internet banking personal details private, such as your login. This is especially true for any calls that you may receive from people claiming to be from your banking institution, as legitimate bank employees will not contact in this manner nor ask for your personal details such as login. Keep your email inbox secure. Always look for the security symbols when shopping online. Check your statements for any transactions you don’t agree with. Alert your bank provider if you feel your internet account has been compromised. Install up to date security protection on your computer that will reject any programs that will attempt to hack into your internet account such as key loggers. Use a secure password that cannot be easily guessed such as your birth date or pet’s name. Regularly check over your credit file to ensure no unauthorized financial processes have been made such as credit card applications.

By: Glen Anthony Brown

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There was a day when personal banking required a trip to the bank, standing in often long lines, and making a transaction via a bank teller. Money was accessible only at a brick and mortar location. Any financial needs not taken care of by the end of the business day would have to wait until the next. Access to one’s money was dictated largely by the bank’s hours of operation.

Times have changed. Today, with the advent of the Internet, accessibility to one’s finances is more convenient than ever. With online banking there are no long lines or gas-guzzling drives to the bank. Transactions, bill payment and ordering new checks can all be accomplished with the click of a button in the comfort of one’s own home. ATMs allow instant access to cash. For some people, there is no brick and mortar bank behind their online accounts – their banking is conducted entirely with an Internet bank.

In fact, online banking has become the preferred transaction method for most of America’s banking customers. While an online transaction can take just under three minutes, it can take nearly 10 minutes at a bank to conduct that same transaction due to waiting in line and interacting with a branch teller.

While some may have questioned the validity of online banking in the 1990s, it has proven to be one of the most valuable assets banks can offer their customers today. While fewer than one in seven Americans were online in 1995, two out of every three Americans are online today, according recent statistics. Americans are surfing the web, conducting e-commerce, and examining their bank statements from their personal computers at rates much faster than in the time those things could be accomplished apart from a computer.

With the advent of the Internet in the 1990s, confidence in this new form of collecting and transferring information was an obvious pathway for banks to pursue. It gave bank customers what they never had before — access to their money 24/7. Features have become more sophisticated and user friendly through the decade. Today’s banks offer online banking services which allow users to conduct a variety of transactions – everything from account to account transfers and paying bills to applying for a loan or making an investment. Especially convenient, online banking allows users to instantly view their accounts, balance the books, and monitor spending. And with the use of personal finance programs, data can be easily imported making personal financial management easier than ever. Some banking programs even allow users to monitor all of their accounts at one site regardless if they are with their main bank or with another institution.

Online banking has also opened doors for those shopping for a loan. Online lenders make applying for a loan easy and convenient, including everything a customers needs to make an application, including application forms and instant assistance on their website. The success of these types of services have allowed consumers to seek the best terms and have brought about a new level of competition between banks looking to expand their bottom line.

One of the most important features to the growth of online banking has been the development of protection barriers to safeguard users and their money. Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and/or passwords have allowed users to authenticate and protect accounts and transactions.

Indeed, the Internet has proven to be a powerful and growing tool for today’s consumers. Through it, online banking has provided customers more control over their finances and freed up time that would have been spent standing in a bank line. But as with many things, precaution and education are important elements for online banking customers. At the end of the day, online banking succeeds only with the vigilance of the banks and their customers.



By: Ann Knapp

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