Online banking security is always a legitimate concern. You may have additional concerns in regards to your online banking security when traveling abroad. Here are a few tips that may help you keep your accounts even more secure and out of the view of prying eyes.
Secure Your Laptop
When you pay your bills online or check the status of your banking transactions, you have to go online to access your account. If you are using your own laptop to access online banking, you need to check to make sure your passwords and other information stored on your laptop are safe from security threats while you are using the Internet.
Log Out of Public Computers
If you go somewhere to use public Internet, such as an Internet café, you need to take extra precautions to make sure you are safe. This involves more than just logging out of secure websites. You also need to delete your browsing history and to close out the browser before you walk away from the computer.
Don’t Click “Yes”
When at all possible, avoid using public computers. Some additional precautions can be taken if it is absolutely necessary to use a public computer. If you are using a browser or VPN that requires you to click “Yes” to get online, avoid checking your accounts since the data will go through a go-between prior to reaching the Internet.
Take Along a USB Drive
Download a Firefox or Linux portable version onto a USB drive. You can then use this flash drive in an untrusted public computer and it will boot using the USB software. Doing this, you can browse using a secure system on the same hardware.
Notify Your Bank
You may want to notify your bank in advance that you will traveling abroad. If you know which bills you will be paying from a specific account, you can let your bank know how much you will be paying and to which companies. You can indicate that if they see any other transactions they hold them and notify you to get approval prior to releasing funds.
While managing your finances while traveling abroad may seem a bit overwhelming at first, you will become accustomed to it if you put ground rules in place and establish the proper precautions. Remember to stay alert to your finances as you would your surroundings as you travel.
