There was a recent story of a high profile blogger who had his smartphone password compromised and had virtually his entire online existence put at risk. To add insult to injury, the hackers used the information they gained about him to remotely delete all the information on his laptop – including irreplaceable family photographs. Imagine what would happen if you got up tomorrow morning and your smartphone was gone. What bank and email passwords are on your mobile device? What about documents and spreadsheets that you’ve created for work? How many personal photos are on your device? Most people would...

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Personal banking and financial security used to be fairly straightforward. If you kept your checkbook safe then there was very little chance that anyone could ever access your savings or checking accounts. But with a significant amount of our financial activity these days being conducted online, with sometimes only a username and password necessary to access our accounts, many of us have concerns about our financial security. Fortunately, banking can still be a safe and secure activity, provided that you take the necessary steps to protect yourself. Here is some banking advice on the most common questions about banking and...

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Personal financial security is in the front of many people’s minds these days, and with good reason. If you’ve ever had your credit card or debit card number compromised, then you know how much time and effort it can take to restore whatever funds were taken from your accounts. In some cases, it can take months or even years to clear up the damage that a compromised account may have caused to your credit reports. Today there are an increasing number of ways that we need to be vigilant in protecting our financial information. For example, as more of us...

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If you have a checking or savings account, chances are your bank has approached you with their online bill paying service. It’s a popular service and most banks and credit unions now offer online bill paying. Before you sign up, investigate the fees. Many banks offer it for free, however some do charge a small fee. Online bill paying offers a number of benefits. It can also be confusing if you’re new to the service and features. Here is some advice and information on the top five questions about online bill paying.

How Does Bill Pay Work? Online bill...

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Online banking is one of those modern conveniences that many of us can’t imagine living without. It just makes our lives so much easier. Things that once required a trip to the bank, or at least a phone call, can now be done with a few clicks of a mouse. But all that convenience does come with some drawbacks. The popularity of online banking has opened new doors for criminals, making identity theft and bank fraud easier to commit. The banks are responsible for making their websites as secure as possible, but it’s up to account holders to use good...

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Phishing scams have been around nearly as long as the World Wide Web, and they’re still going strong. Scammers are constantly coming up with new ploys to get our personal information, including website passwords, Social Security Numbers, bank account information and more. This helps them commit a variety of criminal acts, such as hacking, bank fraud and identity theft. There are many different types of phishing scams, but there are certain rules that can help protect you from most of them. First, if you receive an email purportedly from a bank or other entity with which you do business asking...

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Online banking has made our lives much easier. We can check our balances, pay bills and make deposits from home, work or anywhere else there’s a computer. Still, a majority of consumers prefer to work with a bank that has a branch in their area in case the need arises to do some of their banking in person. But with advances such as direct deposit and easy transfers, online-only banks are growing in popularity. Their fees are often lower, and their interest rates more favorable than banks that have multiple physical locations. When it comes to checking accounts, online banking...

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Personal Identification Numbers, or PINs, have been in use since the late 1960s. These simple numeric codes provide added security for a variety of activities, including accessing voicemail and obtaining information about unemployment claims. But their most common use is as a password that allows you to use a debit card or withdraw money from an ATM. A good PIN is easy for you to remember, but difficult for someone else to guess. That way it helps minimize your losses if someone steals your credit or debit card or otherwise gets access to its number. Here is some advice and tips...

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Identity theft is something that we all hope will never happen to us. But ID theft has become the crime of choice for many criminals due to the fact that by the time it is discovered, the damage is already done and it can be very difficult to track them down. Despite increased awareness and tougher laws, identity theft isn’t going to disappear any time soon. No one is completely immune to having their identity stolen. But taking some simple precautions will greatly reduce your risk of becoming a victim. Here is advice on what precautions you should take to prevent...

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Direct deposit has been an option for receiving paychecks and other funds for a few decades now. While there are still some employers that do not offer it, many require their employees to accept their pay this way. Those who receive funds from the government may also find that setting up direct deposit is mandatory. Some people are hesitant to sign up for direct deposit because they do not understand it. And while it is generally a good thing for all parties involved, there are some minor disadvantages to consider. Here's a summary of the pros and cons of direct...

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