School is out and many people are taking a much-needed vacation. Traveling is a fun way to break away from the daily routine, and enjoy time with family, friends, while exploring a new city or culture.
Unfortunately, scammers have found ways to take advantage of travelers and exploiting them while visiting other places. Here are a few simple precautions that will help you savor summer fun, without the extra stress of having to worry about some of your private account information.
- Do not carry all your personal information with you. Do not write it down, try memorizing it, instead.
- Update your phone, tablet, computer or other personal devices with latest applications and antivirus.
- Lock your device when you are not using it and set up strong passwords.
- Be cautious when accessing public networks/wi-fi. Although it’s very convenient, shared networks are usually not secure. To be shareable with a nearby public, they often have minimal security protocols. Instead, use your carrier’s internet connection or use your phone as a personal hotspot if your plan allows it. If you must use a public network, avoid paying bills and entering any username or password information.
- Search the Internet safely. Instead of just clicking a link from a search engine, it is safer to type your financial institution’s URL into the address bar on your web browser. It may take a little more effort, but this simple action can help you prevent from visiting a fake or malicious website.
- Do not open files, click on links or download programs from emails that look suspicious or from unsolicited emails.
- Do not share personal information on social media (i.e., phone number or email address) or tag cities you are visiting. Never post boarding passes or other documents containing details of your trip. Also, set your profile to private.
- Keep track of your debit card. Do not let your card out of your sight. It is not uncommon for random street merchants to double swipe or take it out of your sight to copy information down.
- Watch Out for skimming technology when using your debit card. If the machine at a gas station or ATM looks suspicious, let an employee know and seek an alternative place to get gas or withdraw money. If you have the option, pay with credit instead of debit. If you have to use your PIN, cover the screen with your other hand to keep someone from looking over stealing the digits to your PIN number.
- Check your transactions regularly while you are traveling. If you have any charges that should not be there, call your financial institution immediately.
- Set up online banking and mobile banking Alerts and Notifications.
- Keep your contact information updated so the bank can keep you informed.
Visit https://www.amerantbank.com/security-center/ for more information on Amerant’s services to keep your account protected.
