How To Stay Safe And Get Your Sanity Back With Mobile Banking

I don’t think there is anything quite as traumatic as having your card ‘declined’ at the supermarket. Not only have you spent vast amounts of energy selecting & pushing your trolley around but you have a captive audience.

‘Sorry mam – you card is declined!’

Well – the first time it happened to me, I walked off (beetroot faced) whilst muttering something about my employer not paying me on time which for the record wasn’t true. I was just saving face in front of my very attentive audience!

However, just last week – it happened again. So, instead of concocting some dramatic story and appearing somewhat insane, I simply asked for a minute whilst I transferred some cash from my emergency account using my BlackBerry. Hallelujah for Mobile Banking!!

Mobile Banking allows you to access and manage your money using your smartphone. And it is no surprise that Australians are quickly catching on with Westpac, one of Australia’s biggest banks, revealing that it has one million smartphone users.

While many Aussies are jumping on the bandwagon, studies show some potential users are avoiding mobile banking due to concerns around the lack of mobile security.

So, what can you do to protect yourself whilst still enjoying the convenience of mobile banking?

•     Download your bank’s mobile application so you can ensure you are visiting the real bank every time, and not a copycat site.
•     If you are using Wi-Fi, never use an unsecured wireless network (usually found in a hotel or café) to access your accounts.
•     Always have a password on your device and set it to auto-lock after a period of time. And remember that using a password such as 1111 or 1234 is not a secure password to have if you want to protect your personal information. For some tips on setting a strong password go to http://home.mcafee.com/advicecenter/Default.aspx?id=ad_sos_tfsp
•     Do not disclose your bank card number or password to anyone.
•     Do not save your bank card details and its password in the same place. Better yet, use a password you can remember rather than having to write it down or save it anywhere.
•     Frequently check your financial statements for any anomalies.
•     Consider using a service such as McAfee® Mobile Security, which allows you to remotely lock your device and delete all personal information in the case of theft or loss, as well as locate the device via GPS. It also provides mobile antivirus and safe search protection.

So next time you are ‘caught’ at the supermarket, don’t despair. Simply reach for your smartphone, transfer some funds and all will be well again in the world. Although your audience might be a little disappointed there was no show!

By Cybermum Australia