Here is a checklist of things to make sure your
internet bank is safe.
FDIC Insured
When using an internet bank, one of the most important things you should check is whether your account is FDIC
insured. The FDIC, or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, is the US federal government’s way of ensuring your
trust in the US banking system by insuring the money in your account. This means that if your bank were to go
bankrupt for any reason, up to $250,000 of your money is insured by the federal government. Making sure your internet
bank account is FDIC insured is especially important in the current economy because a number of reputable banks have
recently filed for bankruptcy.
Privacy Policy
You should always make it a point to read your bank’s information about online privacy policies and practices.
When reading your bank’s policies for online privacy, check to see if the bank requires additional security
information before authorizing a payment to a business or individual that has never received a payment before.
If there is anything within the policy you don’t understand, contact your bank directly to get a better explanation.
Website Security
When banking online, you should always make sure your internet bank is using a secure website. A secure website will
help to ensure that the information you are accessing on your internet bank is protected. To determine whether the
website is secure, look for a locked padlock at the bottom of your browser, which is an indication that the site is
a secured site. Another way to find out if your online bank site is secured is to look at the url in the address bar.
When you login into your online account, the internet address should change from “http” to “https”; the “s” at the end
indicates that the site is secured.
Internet banking is an easy and convenient way to handle your banking needs, just as long as your bank is providing
safety features. By doing a little homework you can easily find out if your internet bank is safe by using the
checklist above. Ensuring that your internet bank is safe can alleviate any concerns you may have about online banking.