Financial fraud occurs year-round, but it remains more common around the holidays! With the chaos of the season, it’s essential to protect your Checking Account from scammers as you browse the top online deals, use your debit card, and balance your holiday budget. Stay safe this season and beyond using these secure digital banking tools included with any Personal or Business Checking Account at Mechanics Cooperative Bank!
Set-up Account eAlerts
With eAlerts available through Online and Mobile Banking, users can set up custom alerts to monitor their Business or Personal Checking Accounts in the method that works best for them! Some of the most effective in preventing fraud include low balance alerts or daily balance reminders that may indicate any unexpected account activity on your account. In addition, Mechanics Cooperative Bank offers free automated fraud detection alerts for debit cards which identify fraudulent transactions and contact account holders immediately to confirm the accuracy of these purchases.
Try Digital Wallets
Not only does using Digital Wallets and Contactless Debit Cards make using your Checking Account’s debit card a breeze, but they also provide an extra layer of protection. Like chip-enabled debit cards, contactless cards offer an additional layer of security to help reduce certain types of fraud when used at a tap-to-pay terminal. This is done by making it much more difficult to capture and clone customer card data at the point of sale. In addition, contactless cards use near-field communication (NFC) to complete payments and transactions at contactless-enabled merchant terminals securely. Digital Wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay are also among secure payment options and provide a virtual card number only associated with the digital wallet and mobile device you use. Therefore, your debit card number and checking account number are never exposed during transactions.
Use a Mobile Banking App
Further minimize any security risks associated with a mobile browser, such as phishing and website spoofing, by using Mobile Banking for mobile transactions associated with your Checking Account. Specifically, regarding the Mechanics Cooperative Bank app, we also offer debit card on/off controls, allowing users to instantly deactivate a card, whether lost in a store or suspected stolen. This automatically blocks anyone from using the card for any in-store transactions. If you find your phone lost or stolen, no one can access your account without knowing your password and, in some cases, your unique username. To prevent unauthorized access to your account, you can also deactivate your phone’s Mobile Banking app access via Online Banking.
Enroll in eStatements
Minimize your Checking Account’s paper trail by enrolling in eStatements. Not only are eStatements environmentally friendly by reducing the need for paper. They also ensure quick and direct delivery of your bank statement in a secure Online or Mobile Banking environment. This can safeguard your personal information from identity theft that can occur through the mail or discarded paper documents.
Need a Personal or Business Checking Account this holiday season? Keep your holiday funds safe in a Free Choice Checking Account from Mechanics Cooperative Bank! Contact us today to get started.
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