Be Wary of Suspicious Activity If Your Financial Institution Has Been Hacked

It seems like every week there’s a new report that a major company has had its web security compromised. Target still hasn’t gotten past last year’s major hacking of its credit card data. Other breaches have affected industries ranging from video games to hotels to auto manufacturers. But the white whale perpetually on hackers’ radar is the big, bad banking sector.

The FBI is currently investigating a cyberattack on five banks that include JPMorgan Chase, reports USA Today’s Elizabeth Weise. If you fear your account might have been compromised there are simple precautions you can take to protect yourself from falling into fraudsters’ traps. Weise suggests:

1. Be wary of phishing

“Banks and other financial institutions do not send e-mails asking customers to input their account information, verify account data or update their records.”

2. Check your statements

“Many consumers don’t bother to go through their bank and credit card statements each month. But that’s a crucial way to detect fraud early on.”

3. Watch out for fake phone calls

“If someone calls purporting to be from your bank or financial institution, don’t give any account information or other personal information over the phone, including your age, address, Social Security number or information about family members.”

The above may seem like common knowledge to most, but fraudsters wouldn’t go to the trouble of building these methods of extracting information if they didn’t net results. If you suspect someone else has accessed your account and information, call your bank immediately. Take a look at Weise’s article (linked below) for more information on recent breaches and suggested safeguards.