First Bank of the Lake: Arm Yourself with the Knowledge to Stay Safe Online!

Have you ever been hacked? We know it's a scary thought, but it's important that you know your financial information is safe! Our bank at the Lake of the Ozarks is here to give you some vital security tips in this week's blog. If you end up having any questions, please give us a call today. First Bank of the Lake can be reached at (573) 348-2265.

Arm Yourself with the Knowledge to Stay Safe Online!

The best defense against fraud is you. Identity thieves are smart. Be Smarter!

You play an important part in keeping your personal information safe. Protecting your personal information can help reduce your risk of identity theft. No matter the amount of time you’re spending online, it makes sense to be smart about how and what you’re doing there. In addition to the security features put in place by First Bank of the Lake, you can help protect yourself online.

Here are a few important security tips:

Report lost or stolen checks or debit/credit cards and fraud immediately. Call us at 573.348.2265 (Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 12 Noon CT).
Review statements and account transactions promptly and carefully to confirm debit card transactions, payments, and other transaction data.
Shred or safely dispose of all documents that contain personal confidential information (i.e. bank and credit card statements, bills and invoices that contain personal information, expired credit cards and pay-stubs.
Check your credit report periodically. Consumers can request one free copy of his or her credit report every year. Reviewing your credit report can help you find out if someone has opened unauthorized financial accounts, or taken out unauthorized loans, in your name.

Equifax – 1.800.685.1111

Experian – 1.888.397.3742

Transunion – 1.877.322.8228

All the safeguards in the world won’t help you if you give out personal information. Never provide any personal information such as Social Security number, Account number, Usernames or Passwords over the phone or the Internet if you did not initiate the contact.
Be aware of suspicious emails asking for your personal information. Unless you initiate the contact with us or we are completing an application for you, First Bank of the Lake will NOT request your personal information (account number, social security number or mother’s maiden name) through email, U.S. mail or by phone

More tips:

We will not send you an email requesting that you click on a hyperlink to enter your login credentials or personal information. If you receive this type of email, please forward it to admin@firstbanklake.com.
Take advantage of system alerts, such as balance and transaction alerts.
Look for the secure padlock in the bottom right hand of your browser and https address line to make sure your information is encrypted. You can also double-click the secure padlock to verify the security certificate.
Always sign out of Online Banking each time you finish your online banking session.
Do not use personal information as your Username or Passwords.
Create strong, unique and hard-to-guess passwords for your online accounts that include upper & lower case letters, numbers and special characters.
Change your passwords frequently and don’t re-use the same passwords.
Keep your passwords private.
Set firm privacy settings.
Avoid oversharing on social media sites.
Use security software. Ensure your computer has the most recent Anti-Virus software and is being updated daily.
Ensure your computer or mobile device have the latest software version.
Be wary of free Wi-Fi. Avoid using public computers and Wi-Fi to access your online banking accounts.
Close online accounts you no longer use.

No one can prevent all identity theft, but using these tips, you can help protect your personal information a little more.

We. Put. You. First.

Protecting the security of your money and identity is as important to us as it is to you. Let's work together to protect it. If you have questions please give us a call today. You can also follow us on our social media channels listed below to stay up to date on our latest announcements. Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. Please follow us each week and we dive into different topics.

Want More Awesome Finance Tips? Sign Up For Our Newsletter!