Cyber crime is on the rise, and continues to present a major threat to businesses and individuals alike. For example, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 467,000 complaints in 2019 alone — an average of almost 1,300 every day. They also reported individual and business losses totaling more than $3.5 billion.
Cyber criminals use a variety of methods to get what they want. They may use social engineering techniques, such as claiming to be an authority figure when reaching out to targets over the phone. They may use spoofed emails that masquerade as legitimate messages from reputable organizations. They may also set up their own fraudulent websites or apps to ensnare their unsuspecting victims.
How can you protect yourself from these malicious individuals, especially when banking online? This article will discuss a few helpful suggestions.
The first step to preventing a scammer from causing you harm is identifying the scam at the outset. There are several telltale signs of a fraudulent communication that you need to know in order to protect yourself. For example:
Of course, some scams can be easier to spot than others; and some cyber criminals use more sophisticated tools and techniques than the average attacker. Still, there are several things you can do to reduce the risk of falling victim to a scammer. These include:
It's so important to stay safe online, especially when it comes to your banking. After all, if a cyber criminal gets hold of your information, then he could get away with everything in your account.
Fortunately, Third Coast Bank is looking out for its account-holders. We work hard to educate our customers on best practices for online banking, how to identify phishing scams and other types of fraud, and how to keep their account secure. Together, we're helping Texans to safely bank online, for now and for years to come.
Third Coast Bank considers your online security as important as your personal well-being. Please review the Security Center on our website to find resources to help you Safeguard your Private and Financial information to understand how we will help protect you when you decide to open an online account!