Six safety tips for banking and investing online

Six safety tips for banking and investing online

1. Protect your access number and password: Canada’s major financial institutions have taken steps to make sure your online account is secure and private. Keep it that way by protecting your access number and password.

 

2. Don’t let others see your account information: Always close your account screen and sign out of the website when you are finished. Take steps to delete information that may stay in a computer after you leave a website. This is especially important when you’re using someone else’s computer.

 

3. Watch your printed records: Don’t leave printouts lying around. File them in a safe place. If you throw away records you no longer need, shred them, or make sure that they can’t be found by someone going through your garbage.

 

4. Change your password: It’s a simple way to make your information more secure.

 

5. Check your monthly statements: It’s up to you to make sure all your transactions are correct each month.

 

6. Back up your data: Always assume your computer could crash and your information could be lost. Make frequent backups of information from your online account and keep this data somewhere safe.

 

Remember: These days, it’s easy to bank from almost anywhere.

You can set up online baking and investing with any major bank or financial institution in Canada. But remember, just because it’s easy, that doesn’t make it safe. When you bank and invest online, take steps to keep your financial information safe. 

 

 

Learn more

Read Investing and the Internet, published by the Canadian Securities Administrators.

 

Read about the top 10 investment scams, as rated by the North American Securities Administrators Association.