Securing Your Personal Information
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As a customer of Lake National Bank, the security of your personal account information is extremely important to us. By practicing good security habits, you can help us ensure that your private information is protected. * Never disclose ANY personal identifying information if requested via an unsolicited email or phone call. This includes:
* Never reveal your PIN or password to anyone Be wary of any email asking you to log onto Lake National Bank’s internet banking service, if it does not link to the official Lake National Bank internet banking site at www.lakenationalbank.com. Also, be suspicious if you are asked to enter any personal identifying information into an unexpected pop-up window even if it looks official. Call us at (440) 205-8100, if you have any questions regarding emails or phone calls soliciting information about your Lake National Bank accounts. We will never contact you by telephone or send you an email and ask you to reveal sensitive data or personal account information. If you have received an unsolicited email and provided confidential information through a linked website, you could be a victim of identity theft. If you believe this has happened to you, please call Lake National Bank at (440) 205-8100 and ask for the Bank’s security officer. Consumer Tips for Safe Internet Banking Never save your password to your desktop. Saving your password to your desktop may seem like a timesaver but it allows others to access your personal information without your permission. How personal is your password? Avoid using passwords that are relevant to your personal situation. Passwords with your phone number, date of birth, or social security number are often gateways to disaster. Create passwords that contain letters and numbers that cannot be easily attributable to you. Change your password every 120 days or as often as you feel comfortable. Remember: The longer the password the harder it is to break it. Use plenty of upper and lower case letters and numbers too. Don’t open email from unknown sources. “Phishing” emails are those sent to your email address by cyber criminals who wish to steal your personal information. Be wary of any email that asks for PIN numbers, passwords, or your bank account or credit card information. These emails are often emblazoned with the real registered logos of legitimate companies that you may already do business with. Links within these “phishing” emails may take you to fraudulent “Spoof” websites which are designed to fool consumers into trusting the integrity of the website. Most Phishing emails do not even address you by your proper name because they are “blanket” emails sent out in mass to thousands of potential targets. Read between the lines! Emails do not have boundaries. You may be the recipient of a fraudulent email from any country in the world. Pay close attention to the finer details of any email that you receive. Are there typographical errors or unusual grammatical mistakes within the letter? Is there a hyperlink in the email that directs you to a website address that also bears noticeable errors in language and grammar? Use extreme caution. Do not input your personal information until you verify the website with your financial institution. Report any suspicious emails and website addresses immediately. Most E Commerce websites maintain security departments that deal with Spam, Phishing scam letters and other security breaches. Forward any unusual emails and website addresses to the security departments immediately so that they advise you on how to proceed. “We need you to update your password because of a security compromise” Why would a company that already has your password request it from you? Many illegitimate emails are sent daily asking you to update your password because of purported “security compromises” that do not exist. A simple phone call to the organization in question will answer any question that you may have regarding security compromises. Customer service centers are to be considered your ultimate resource when you receive potentially illegal or confusing emails. Spyware According to Microsoft, fifty percent of computer crashes are caused by “Spyware”, or applications downloaded from software, Internet sites, and email without the user’s permission that are used to monitor keystrokes and gain access to personal information stored on the hard drive. To protect yourself, install reputable anti-spyware tools that detect and remove the applications, block self-initiating downloads, and stop pop-up- advertisements, among other functions. Pop Up Windows Beware of any window that “pops up” during an internet banking session. If the window asks you to access another website or to enter your password then you should beware. “RATS” or Remote Access Trojans can be installed on legitimate websites by computer hackers who want to steal your personal information. Call your financial institution’s internet banking customer service immediately to determine the legitimate operation of their website before you honor any request for your personal information. Use the best virus protection and firewall protection that you can afford. Virus protection and firewalls provide additional layers of protection that you need to insulate your risk exposure to viruses that can rob your computer hard drive of valuable personal information. Virus protection packages and firewalls can be purchased online or at reputable computer software stores nationwide. Remember that after you install virus protection you will still need to regularly update the software to ensure maximum protection. Most software updates are free once you pay for the annual fee for virus protection software. Disconnect from the Internet when not in use. Literally “unplugging” the PC and disabling your wireless router may play key elements in protecting your information when the computer is not being used. Dial up connections can be unplugged from the telephone outlet while wireless routing devices can simply be unplugged from their electrical source or “powered down” during periods when the PC is idle. Allow your financial institution to contact you using normal channels of communication. Make sure that your financial institution has your best possible contact telephone numbers and your current mailing address. If your financial institution wishes to contact you they will more than likely use the telephone followed by an actual paper letter sent to your official address. Everyone makes mistakes. It is always better to obtain guidance from your financial institution when you suspect that you have inadvertently entered your personal information on a bogus website. Do not delay in contacting your financial institution. There are many resources and solutions available to preserve your piece of mind as well as your financial well being. When in doubt – make the phone call! Summary: Tips to Protect Yourself from Phishing Scams 1. Never click on Hyperlinks within emails. Instead, copy and paste them into your browser.
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