When you set up your first internet banking account, you may have reservations about it. After all, anyone could set up a website, claim to be a bank, and fraudulently take your money. There are some precautions you can take to be sure your online bank is a legitimate one.
Start by going to the bank’s website. There, you can get the information the bank gives you about their banking credentials. The bank’s official name should be listed. There may be articles describing the history of the bank, including their internet banking history.
There should be an address where the headquarters can be found. There will be a base of operations somewhere, even if it is a virtual bank internet banking operation. If they are on the up-and-up, they will not be hesitant to tell you about their FDIC coverage.
It is easy to check a bank’s FDIC insurance. If you see the words “FDIC Insured” or “Member FDIC” or the FDIC logo, you might be on the right track. However, it is wise to go a step further. Go to the source to find out if the internet banking company is really affiliated with the federal insurer.
The FDIC has its own data base that includes all of the banking institutions, including internet banking companies that are covered by FDIC insurance. Just go to their “Bank Find” site to find out if your bank is one of them. You can start your search with the name of the bank or its address.
If your internet banking company is on that list, the FDIC will provide you with a whole list of helpful information. You will learn when the bank became insured, and the number on its insurance certificate. You will find out the location(s) of your bank and its official name. You will find out what government entity regulates that bank.
If your internet banking company does not appear on the list, it is time to go directly to the FDIC. They will be concerned with the legitimacy and safety of that bank. It is probably not wise to put your money in an uninsured bank. At that point, it is better to look for another internet banking operation.
Once you do sign up with an online bank, be cautious about how you use their internet banking website. Some unscrupulous people will use the internet to get your banking information. They will do this when you log onto your bank’s website.
The trick these dishonest people use is to set up a website that looks like your bank’s website. They have a URL that is very similar to your bank’s URL. Then, they sit back and wait for you or others to make a mistake typing in your bank’s URL that will get you to them.
From there, the fraudster will track all the information you type into the opening page. They will be able to get your user name, your password, and any other information you type. The best way to make sure you are dealing with your legitimate bank is by being very careful when typing in their site address.
If you are to trust your internet banking company, you must take precautions to assure yourself that it is a respectable business. Once you do that, you can bank with ease.