Have you been planning to pack your backpack and move out of the city to unwind? Good for you! You deserve to take a break to make a fresh start. However, planning a trip is quite a complex task. From choosing the location to make bookings, the is a never-ending list of things to do ahead of leaving your home.
All that can be sorted if you plan well in advance and organize each task delicately. Moreover, technology is always ready to assist you in navigating through the odds in your journey. From making online bookings to finding locations, there is everything you can do with the device in your palm.
One of the problems that most travelers incur is regarding withdrawing cash. However, you can benefit from online banking to access your financial accounts and make transactions wherever and whenever required.
However, it must be remembered that it is important to take precautions to ensure online banking is safe and secure while traveling. In this article, we are going to guide you about the precautionary tips that you have to take to avoid turning your trip into a misery.
Use a Safe WiFi Network
It is a very common tactic of scammers to set up free and unencrypted WiFi connections in tourist hotspots to lure them into using the network. The free public WiFi connections are highly nefarious and can pose a significant threat to user privacy. For example, scammers can easily capture passwords account numbers, and other information on your device. Therefore, it is highly recommended to avoid connecting to open WiFi networks no matter what the situation is.
It is advisable to either use your phone’s hotspot or not perform any sensitive activity, such as banking, at all. However, one of the pro tips is to connect to a hotspot, if your home internet’s ISP offers one. For example, if you have Cox at home, then you can connect to Cox Internet wherever you are with 4 million Free WiFi hotspots. To learn more about their offerings and exclusive features, you may contact their 24/7 customer service. And if you speak Spanish, you may get exclusive information through Cox servicio al cliente.
Anyway, the key takeaway is to avoid connecting to open networks no matter what!
Protect Your Device
Logically, you cannot log into your online account without your device, so it is important to keep it safe at all times. Anyone getting access to your device can obtain critical information and can cause harm you don’t even want to imagine.
First of all, make sure your device comes with a face detection or fingerprint lock feature so that it always remains password protected. It is also very important to beef up the security of your device by creating a strong password. For example, you may use numbers, symbols, or mixed letters.
Importantly, avoid using your personal information in the details like date of birth, name, or address. You should use two-factor authentication to create an extra layer of protection for your account as it asks for a second verification step, making it impossible for anyone else to access your device.
Monitor Your Account Daily
What if a scammer gets access to your account and you don’t even realize it until the damage is made? This happens oftentimes when you do not subscribe to banking alerts. These alerts keep you updated whenever any action occurs on your account.
But since you have to be extra cautious when traveling, make sure you regularly track your bank account to ensure no unauthorized transactions are made.
Keep Your PINs and Card Numbers Confidential
Make sure you never share your bank details, especially PINs over email or messaging networks, even with someone you trust. You may get fraudulent calls, apparently from the bank, or receive an email requesting your bank details. Note that you should NEVER give out your login information even if it is pretending to be from the bank. Plus, make sure you only use the login ID and password on the official login page.
Use ATM Carefully
Another common method that scammers use is fixing a device to an ATM to read all the details of the card. By using this technique they can steal the PIN code account number and all the account details. Therefore, make sure you do not use ATMs in the first place. But if it is urgent, then you must check the ATM properly for a device or camera and use it once it looks fine.
Bottom Line
When traveling, you may constantly need to make transactions. While online banking allows you to do it in a go, there could be possible threats that can jeopardize your account. So, to avoid any possible threats and banking safely, check out the tips we have compiled for you!