First Bank & Trust Company Provides Tips for Banking Online Safely and Being More Cybersecure
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
ABINGDON, Va., Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyber-attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated and common. According to the 2017 Norton Cyber Security Insights Report, 143 million U.S. consumers were victims of cybercrime - more than half of the country's adult online population - with losses totaling nearly $19.5 billion. In recognition of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, First Bank & Trust Company is highlighting tips and information to help consumers protect themselves from such cyber-attacks.
"The internet has become one of the most popular tools used to commit fraud and criminals are becoming more and more sophisticated with their hacking techniques," said Deborah Goodenough, Security Officer at First Bank & Trust Company. "As a result, customers must take the necessary precautions online, especially when using sensitive personal data such as bank account information."
When banking online, First Bank & Trust Company recommends that consumers take extra care to protect themselves by doing the following things:
-- Monitor your accounts regularly. Make sure that all transactions posted
are ones you have authorized. Report any suspected fraudulent or
suspicious activity to your bank immediately.
-- Look out for strange emails! Don't respond to emails that claim to be
from your bank (or any company) requesting your account details or
passwords. Banks will not reach out to you over email to ask for your
account details.
-- Avoid clicking links in emails. It is usually much safer to log in to
your bank website manually to ensure you are entering a secure site.
-- Change your bank passwords regularly. Avoid using the same password
across multiple sites and make sure you are choosing a strong password
that is a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special
characters. Avoid using any words or phrases that contain your name,
initials or your birthdate.
-- Enable two-factor authentication. Many financial institutions have added
a layer of security for account holders. Two-factor authentication
requires you to enter an extra verification credential before you can
access your account.
-- Disable automatic login. Do not allow your web browser to store private
username and password information for your online banking websites.
-- When available, only use your bank's official mobile apps. And make sure
you download apps from reputable sources such as the Apple Store or
Google Play Store.
First Bank & Trust Company provides this additional information to help consumers to be more cybersecure:
-- Email fraud. If it seems too good to be true, it is probably fraud.
Don't believe that lottery awards staff or princes from a foreign
country will contact you by email!
-- Fraudulent payments. Be on guard against fraudulent checks, cashier's
checks, money orders or electronic fund transfers sent with a request
for you to wire back part of the money.
-- Unsolicited offers. Be wary of unsolicited offers that require you to
"ACT FAST".
-- Stay up-to-date. Make sure your device is up-to-date with the latest
security updates for your operating system - Windows, Apple IOS, mobile
phone IOS (Apple, Android, etc.).
-- Warnings and errors. Do not trust websites with certificate warnings or
errors.
-- Beware of email attachments. It's never a good idea to click on an email
attachment or free software from unknown sources. You could end up
exposing your system to online fraud and theft.
-- Sharing online. Watch how much you share online. The more you post about
yourself on social networking sites, the easier it may be for someone to
use that information to access your accounts, steal your identity and
more. Protect your personal information by maximizing your privacy
settings.
-- Financial scams. Be aware of disaster-related financial scams. Con
artists take advantage of people after catastrophic events by claiming
to be from legitimate charitable organizations when, in fact, they are
attempting to steal money or valuable personal information.
Consumers are encouraged to report any suspected fraud to their banks immediately.
For more information, visit https://www.firstbank.com/security
About First Bank & Trust Company
First Bank & Trust Company, one of the top community banks in the United States, is a diversified financial services firm with office locations in southwest Virginia, northeast Tennessee, and New River and Shenandoah Valleys. Financial objectives are addressed by offering free checking products for personal and business accounts, and assessing lending solutions managed by mortgage, agricultural and commercial lending divisions. Comprehensive financial solutions are available through trust and brokerage service representatives.
For More Information:
Nicole Franks
First Bank & Trust Company
nfranks@firstbank.com
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-bank--trust-company-provides-tips-for-banking-online-safely-and-being-more-cybersecure-300938701.html
SOURCE First Bank & Trust Company
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Identiv Completes Thailand Manufacturing Transition, Unlocking Next-Generation Multicomponent Manufacturing for Advanced IoT Solutions | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Global Cyber Alliance Identifies Five Cybersecurity Forces That Defined 2025 - And Will Shape 2026 | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Truvista Fiber Acquires SlyTel | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
New Report Names States Most Vulnerable to Holiday Scams | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Android Mobile Adware Surges in Second Half of 2025 | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Healthcare Industry Executives are Likely to be Personal Targets of Cybercrime | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
pgEdge Announces pgEdge Agentic AI Toolkit for Postgres | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Guardz 2025 SMB Cybersecurity Report: Nearly 50% of U.S. Small Businesses Have Been Hit by Cyber Attack | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Breakthrough Progress: METiS TechBio Publishes Consecutive Research Findings in Nature Communications and the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
LG ELECTRONICS INTRODUCES 2026 LG GRAM LINEUP ELEVATED BY AEROMINUM | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
|
