Securely Using Online Banking
Maintaining a high level of security when using Online Banking is important. Below you’ll find our best practices for securely accessing your accounts online.
User Name. With our online banking system, you can define your own user name. Choose wisely! Don’t select an easy to guess name like “bill_and_wanda”. Instead choose something like “dogcatmilwaukie44”. Usernames can be up to 20 characters. You can change your username any time you like as well. It is recommended that you do occasionally change it up. To do that, click “Profile”, and then under “I Want to Change…”, click username.
Use long, complex passwords. They don’t have to be hard to remember or random. Use phrases if that is helpful. For example, don’t try to remember “Mg7&53jfi!”. Instead try a phrase you’ll remember, like “wewenttoDenver2011”. Longer is better. Passwords can be up to 20 characters long.
Security questions. Do not select a question/answer combination that is commonly known. We recommend memorizing answers that are not the correct answer to the question. For example, if the question is “in what city were you born”, instead of the actual answer, you might choose something like “applesauce.” Guessing security question answers is a common way to hack accounts.
Do not let your computer remember your password. Just not a great idea. Avoid this for better security.
Current contact info. Make sure we have your correct contact info so we can alert you when suspicious activity occurs. In Online Banking, click the “Profile” menu button to see the contact info that the we have on file for you.
Use alerts! Our online banking system will allow you to receive an alert every time anyone logs into your account, but you have to enable it. To do that in online banking:
- Click the “Alerts” menu item.
- Click “Sign In Alerts”
- Click the check mark beside Email or Text and complete the screen that will pop up.
While you’re in the alerts menu, look around and enable any other alerts that may help you manage and secure your accounts! We recommend enabling the following:
- Transaction alerts for transactions over an amount of your choice
- Balance alerts for when your account balance drops below a specified dollar amount
Avoid accessing online banking from public computers and Wi-Fi networks. Sometimes it’s hard to avoid, but when you can, avoid using other people’s equipment to access your accounts. If you do find it necessary, we recommend changing your passwords (and even your username) afterwards.
Regularly check messages from the online banking system. It’s a good idea to check your messages frequently. Messaging is used to communicate changes to your account and other important information.
Still have questions? Feel free to stop by a branch, give us a call, or chat with us online. We’re happy to help!