Tips to Help Protect You Against Online Fraud

Unfortunately, computers give criminals new ways to commit fraud. When consumers are knowledgeable about how fraud happens and follow some simple guidelines, their chances of becoming a victim of account fraud or Identity Theft are reduced. Here are some tips to help you enjoy a safe and secure online experience.

Passwords

• Passwords used together with your User ID, are the key to access your accounts.
• Please keep your passwords secret and do not share them. If you share your passwords, you've granted another person permission to access your personal and account information.
• It is best to memorize your passwords and never write them down or store them near your computer system.
• Changing your password often reduces the chance that someone else will discover it. Change your password immediately if it becomes known, or you suspect it is known, by any unauthorized person.
• Never give your password to anyone over the phone, regardless of the circumstances.
• Try to create strong passwords using a pattern that makes it easy for you to remember, but hard for anyone else to guess.
  
  Words to avoid when creating passwords:
• Do not use your (or any family member's) name, nickname, or initials in any form (forwards or backwards spelling).
• Do not use your User ID as your password.
• Do not use other information that can be easily obtained about you. This includes birth dates, telephone numbers, license plate numbers, Social Security numbers, street addresses, or the brand of automobile you drive, etc.
• Do not use all the same character (i.e., 2222222) or consecutive keys on a keyboard (i.e., ASDFGH).
• Do not use words that would appear in a dictionary (English or other), as they can be easily compromised by password cracking programs that use electronic dictionaries.

Tips for choosing strong passwords: ·

• You want to avoid having to write it down, so try to develop a method of creating passwords that makes it easier for you to remember.
• For example, you can use a line in a favorite song, book, or movie and select the first letter of each word to create your password. Also include at least one number. With this method, "Honesty is the best policy" becomes the password “HITBP4me”.
• Use two short words and connect them with a number. For example, LIVE4FUN.
• Use a word that you can easily remember, but replace the vowels with numbers. For example, the word “bowling” becomes the password “b0wl1ng”.

E-mail
Use caution when opening unsolicited e-mails and attachments. It is often safer to just delete e-mail messages from people you do no know, without opening them. Viruses can be passed along via e-mail that can harm your computer.

Do not respond to unsolicited e-mails asking you to provide, update or verify your personal and account information. These e-mails are scams.

First Bank & Trust Company will never send e-mails asking for personal or account information, such as passwords, Social Security Numbers, PINs, credit or Check Card numbers, or other confidential information.

Online Banking
Stay at your computer once you sign on. Never leave your computer unattended while using any online banking or investing service.

Sign off when you're done. It is important to sign off completely when you are finished banking online. This is even more critical if you are using a computer that other people can access.

If you are providing financial information, be sure the site uses secure communications. One of the ways to determine if a site is secure is to look for the padlock icon usually located at the bottom of the Web page. If you double click on the icon, a pop-up window will appear with information about the Web site. The information in this window should match the Web site you are visiting.

Trust is important. Only do business only with companies that you know and trust.

Be on the lookout for suspicious Web sites. Watch out for copycat sites that may try to look like financial institutions or other trusted companies where you normally do business. To make sure you're visiting a legitimate site, type the business' address directly into your browser or use a bookmark that you previously created.

Use public computers with caution. Only access your personal financial information from a computer you trust. Internet kiosks (such as at libraries or schools) and cyber cafes may not be as secure as your personal computer.


Shopping Online
When placing orders online, check to see that the site is secure by looking for the "closed padlock", which is usually located in the bottom corner of your browser. The padlock icon indicates that when you submit your information, it will be sent securely. If you double click on the icon, a window will appear with information about the Web site. The information in this window should match the Web site you are visiting.

Only shop with online stores that you know and trust.


Browsing the Internet
Before entering any personal or financial information on a Web site, review the security and privacy policies posted on that site. These policies usually describe how the Web site collects and uses information about you. Knowing this will help you decide if you want to continue visiting the site.

Keep your browser updated. Newer versions of Internet browsers have the latest safety features that protect your computer from dangerous programs like spyware and viruses.

Use caution when downloading because some software downloads from the Internet may contain harmful code which could harm your computer and compromise your security.

Keep anti-virus software up to date so that you can both avoid viruses and help decrease the number of fraudulent e-mails and Web pages you might encounter.

Delete personal or financial information on public computers. If you use a public computer, someone else may be able to access your information or trace the Web sites you visited. To avoid this possibility, delete the cache (temporary) memory on the computer to remove any traces of your visit. All Internet browsers have a "help" section that tells you how to delete the cache.

Beware of spyware. Spyware is software that tracks how you use your computer and which Web sites you visit. Spyware programs may get installed on your computer without your knowledge when you visit certain Web sites, open unsolicited e-mails or click on links in e-mails.

Scammers also use "key-logging" programs that track how you use your keyboard. If a key-logging program is installed on your computer, you could unknowingly reveal sensitive information like your PINs or passwords to scammers. You should consider using and keeping current anti-spyware software to better help protect your confidential information. The software will help identify and delete any spyware or key-logging programs installed on your computer.