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General Security Tips
Minimize the chances of falling prey to identity theft & fraud
In addition to the state-of-the-art policies, procedures, and practices that we have in place, we also encourage you to employ safe security practices for your own protection:
Keep personal information private
- Be discerning when sharing personal information, such as your Social Security Number (SSN). Be sure you know with whom you are dealing.
- Do not share personal information over the phone or online unless you have initiated the contact. American Savings Bank will never initiate an e-mail and ask you to divulge any private information, including your account information.
- Memorize your Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), including your ATM card PIN and Online Banking User ID and Password.
- Do not write down your PIN in an easily found place, such as your purse or wallet.
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Safeguard your account
- Shred financial documents you no longer need.
- Store new and cancelled checks in a secure place.
- Keep records of your financial transactions.
- Do not write your account number on items that may be thrown away later.
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Properly handle your mail
- Send mail from a post office or secured mailbox, rather than from your home mailbox.
- Collect incoming mail promptly.
- Shred all unwanted pre-approved offers for financial products and services, like credit cards or loans.
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Protect your computer
- Install anti-virus and anti-spybot programs and keep them up-to-date to defend against computer viruses.
- Utilize a personal firewall, a piece of software or hardware that assists with defending your computer against hackers and viruses.
- Keep your browser up-to-date. For maximum security, American Savings Bank recommends the use of the latest commercially accepted browser versions offered by Microsoft or Netscape.
- Upgrading is quick, easy, and free.
- Keep your operating system up-to-date. Many software vendors fix problems in their products and send you free updates (also called “patches”) that you can download.
- Regularly back up your computer files to media you can store elsewhere, such as CDs or floppy disks.
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Navigate Online Banking safely
- Verify that your Online Banking session is secure:
- A closed, or locked, padlock — usually located in the lower right corner of your browser window — indicates a secure connection.
- Look for "https://" at the beginning of the Web site address or URL in your Web browser. The "s" means secure
- Create strong passwords for online accounts:
- Avoid easily identifiable words.
- Use a combination of numbers, letters, and special characters.
- Pick a longer password, rather than a shorter one.
- Change your password every 90 days.
- Use the “Sign Off” feature if you are done using Online Banking or will be away from your computer for an extended period of time. Also, close your browser to prevent others from using your access.
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Be cautious with e-mail and downloads
- Be aware of e-mail scams, such as Phishing, and phony websites. Use a critical eye and feel free to contact us if you have a question about something sent to you.
- Learn as much as possible about anything you are downloading to your computer, including e-mail attachments. Programs from unknown sources can compromise the security of your computer.
- Below are guidelines to help you decide whether or not to open and read an e-mail message:
- Do you know the person that e-mailed you?
- Has this person sent e-mail to you before?
- Does the subject line make sense?
- Did you expect to receive an attachment from this person?
- Does the message harbor a virus? Use an anti-virus program to verify that it does not.
- Do not send personal and financial information over the Internet via e-mail, as it is typically not secure and could be intercepted.
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Questions?
Contact us — Call or e-mail us to learn more.
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