In recognition of National Cybersecurity Month in October, First National Bank wants to remind customers and fellow community members of simple steps they can take to safeguard their sensitive data when making purchases online or via a smart device.

“Educating customers about account security and cyber threats is something we all must be conscious about if we want to reduce the risk of sensitive information being exploited for criminal use,” said Tim Purman, president of First National Bank. “We take great care in handling our customers’ sensitive information and want to equip them with practical steps they can take to help strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity ecosystem and avoid falling prey to identity theft and fraud this holiday season.”

There are steps consumers can take to reduce their chances of becoming a victim of identity theft or fraud. We encourage consumers to:

• Enable the strongest authentication tools offered by the bank. Use the security questions as an additional verification step. When prompted, don’t check “Don’t challenge me again on this device,” so that anyone trying to access your account will have to answer your security questions. It’s also important not to use answers that can be found on social media.
• Use complex passwords and differentiate them across multiple platforms. For example, customers should use one password for their online bank account and another for their email account.
• Do a system check. Purge unused apps and outdated or sensitive information stored in old files and emails and ensure all software on internet-connected devices is current.

Consumers also can make sure their account has not been compromised by taking the following steps:

• Check bank statements regularly to ensure the purchases are legitimate.
• Read the fine print when purchasing items online. Often a website or application will ask for permission to save account information.
• Stay vigilant. Be mindful when shopping online and look for signs of illegitimate websites. Spelling or grammatical errors, missing contact information, and suspicious URLs or email addresses are all red flags.

Learn more about how to protect your digital life during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month by visiting the Stay Safe Online website.

If you have concerns about your First National Bank account, contact our Deposit Operations team at 262-670-3878, or use our secure contact form.