8 Important Tips for Safe Online Banking

While online banking is extremely convenient and easy-to-use, it also comes with various security risks. The online world is swarming with hacking and phishing attempts from hackers trying to break into another person’s financial account, steal their information and, subsequently, all of their money. Therefore, every person who regularly uses some form of online banking should be alert to possible vulnerabilitie
s in this system and know the ways to prevent hackers from getting ahold of their banking information.

Naked Security recently published an article outlining 8 tips for safer online banking. By following  these tips, users can minimize risks to the security of their financial accounts.

1. Choose a bank account that offers some form of two factor authentication for online banking, such as a key code or unique image.

2. Create a strong password, avoiding common words or phrases, and change it every few months. Also, for security questions, the answer does not have to be the real answer, just one you will remember.

3. Keep your security software (anti-virus, firewall, etc.), operating system, and other software up-to-date to ensure that there are no security holes present when using your computer for online banking.

4. Beware of suspicious emails and phone calls that appear to be from your bank asking for account information. Access your online bank account directly by typing the address into your browser and call your bank back via a number that you are familiar with and you know is legitimate.

5. Access your accounts from a secure location, using computers and networks you know are safe and secure. Avoid using public networks and always look for the padlock icon in the corner of the browser, signaling that the website is encrypted.

6. Always log out and clear your computer’s cache at the end of each session.

7. Set up account notifications to immediately alert you if there is any suspicious activity on the account, such as large withdrawals or a low remaining balance.

8. Monitor your accounts regularly, paying attention to all transactions over the past few months.

In general, bankers who take advantage of online banking services should be aware that technology, the Internet, and networks are not totally safe. Online banking is a great and convenient service, however those who use it must always be alert and aware of their financial accounts and possible hacking attempts.

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article,”8 Important Tips for Safe Online Banking.” For more information, please visit www.bbb.org.

Halloween Fire Safety Tips

• When choosing a costume, stay away from billowing or long trailing fabric. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won’t easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out.
• Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.
• Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
• It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
• Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.)
• Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.
• If your children are going to Halloween parties at others’ homes, have them look for ways out of the home and plan how they would get out in an emergency.

This is an excerpt from the article “Halloween Fire Safety Tips.” For more information, please visit www.nfpa.org.

Ten Things We Bet You Didn’t Know About Red-Light Running

You or your loved ones are more likely to be injured due to a red-light running related crash than any other type of crash¹.

1. Running red lights or other traffic controls is the most common cause of all urban crashes².
2. Someone runs a red light an average of every 20 minutes at urban intersections³.

3. Car crashes rank among the leading causes of death in the United States…

   … and the leading cause of death for children, teens and young adults up to age 34¹⁰.

   In the last decade, red-light running crashes killed nearly 9,000 people⁴.

4. An estimated 165,000 motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians are injured annually by red-light runners⁵.
5. Half of the people killed by red-light runners are not the signal violators — they are passengers, other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists⁶.
6. Nearly 93% of drivers believe running a red light is unacceptable, yet 1 in 3 drivers reported doing so in the past 30 days⁷.
7.  There are an average of 7 fatal crashes and over 1,000 injury crashes EVERY DAY at signalized intersections across the United States⁸.
8. The cost to society of all crashes exceeds $230 billion annually⁹.
9. The tragedies and costs resulting from red-light running are preventable!
   

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “Ten Things We Bet You Didn’t Know About Red-Light Running.” For more information, please visit safety.fhwa.dot.gov.

Pumpkin Carving Safety PSA

This is a Halloween Public Service Announcement (PSA) from the Occupational Safety Project. Enjoy!

Businesses: Be Wary of Insider Crime and Identity Theft

Insider Crime – Many businesses put a great deal of effort into protecting their property from theft by outsiders but neglect to put an equal effort into preventing insider theft. Employers should not underestimate the risk of trusted employees stealing from the company.

Loss control experts at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) encourage employers to adopt two strategies to prevent internal theft: increase the perceived probability of discovery and decrease the probability that an employee will commit the crime.

The ACFE recommends stringent accounting controls, which your accountant can help you create, and frequent audits. Having a policy that gives honest employees a way to report theft by their co-workers without fear of reprisal helps cut down insider theft, as does emphasis on ethical practices, rewarding company loyalty and having clear performance standards.

Identity Theft – Identity theft occurs when an individual uses someone else’s personal information to commit fraud. Federal law requires businesses to provide identity theft victims with transaction records relating to their identity theft free of charge.

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “Reducing Vulnerability To Theft.” For more information, please visit www.iii.org.

Halloween Driving Safety Tips

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding both motorists and pedestrians to use extra caution on Halloween night. Nationwide, Halloween is a particularly deadly night due to the high number of drunk drivers on the roads and the increase in pedestrians during the evening hours.

In 2011, 38 percent of fatalities on Halloween night occurred in a crash involving a driver or a motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 or higher and 11 percent of those fatalities involved a pedestrian. In fact, over the five years from 2007-2011, 23 percent of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night involved a drunk driver. NHTSA offers the following safety tips to help ensure a safer Halloween.

Motorists

• Use caution while behind the wheel.
  • Slow down and be alert in residential areas.
  • Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
  • Eliminate distractions so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Drive sober or get pulled over.
  • Always designate a sober driver and plan a way to safely get home at the end of the night if you plan on celebrating Halloween with alcohol.
  • Use your community’s sober ride program or take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• Watch out for your family, friends, and neighbors.
  • If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
  • If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.

Pedestrians

• Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving.
  • Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
• Keep kids safe.
  • Children out at night and under the age of 12 should have adult supervision.
  • Kids should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
  • Choose face paint when possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
  • Decorate costumes with reflective tape and have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights.
• Remember, everyone is a pedestrian.
  • Always cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
  • Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.

  The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “NHTSA Offers Halloween Safety Tips ” For more information, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.

Halloween Safety Tips

Walk Safely

• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to
  the left as possible.  Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Trick or Treat With an Adult

• Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
• Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
• When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “Halloween Safety Tips” For more information, please visit www.safekids.org.

Protect Yourself from Burglary and Robbery

Businesses face various types of theft, including burglary and robbery by outsiders, theft by insiders and identity theft.

Burglary – Burglary refers to crimes involving the unlawful entry of a structure with or without force. Burglary prevention starts with making your premises an unattractive target by creating barriers to illicit entry. Appropriate measures will vary depending on the type of business, the premises and the location. For some businesses, security needs may be met simply by leasing a professional office in a building with good security and assuring there are strong doors and appropriate locks. This is particularly true for organizations in low-crime areas without high-value goods on the premises.

An enterprise in a building with numerous entrances and windows, located in an area with a high-crime rate and having high-value goods on hand presents a different picture. Whatever type of business you have, your insurance agent, locksmith, police department and a security consultant can provide information on how to make your premises harder to burgle. They may recommend such improvements as steel doors that fit tightly into doorframes, shatterproof window glass, stronger window locks and a fence around the premises.

Exterior lighting deters burglars. The fewer dark places around your facility, the better. Don’t let trees or shrubs grow around windows. These provide an opportunity for criminals to conceal what they are doing. Keep dumpsters away from the building.

Valuable property should be locked up to further deter theft. You may want to invest in an alarm system that rings in the police station or at a private security firm.

Robbery – Robberies involve the taking of valuables from another person(s) by force or threat of force. If you receive cash in your business, train employees what to do in case of robbery. Your local police department can assist you in developing training material. Limit the amounts of cash in cash registers.

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “Reducing Vulnerability To Theft.” For more information, please visit www.iii.org.

Before You Purchase Commercial Auto Business Insurance

Commercial auto insurance is one of the most important aspects of your business insurance program. If your business uses a vehicle, or many vehicles, you need commercial auto insurance and you will want to ask your business insurance professional some important questions. You will also want to provide your business insurance professional with a complete picture of your vehicle use.

Consider the following points and ask the following questions.

How Many Vehicles and Drivers Will the Business Insure?

Commercial auto insurers often separate coverage types based on the number of vehicles and drivers to be insured. Fleet insurance is an option for businesses that will have a number of vehicles and drivers. The number of vehicles differs with each insurer and may depend on the class of vehicle. But, fleet insurance may be a less expensive alternative than individual, per vehicle policies.

What is the Policy Definition of Commercial Use?

Your personal auto policy will exclude coverage for commercial uses of your vehicle. A commercial policy will establish a definition of commercial use as well. It is important that you read the definition and discuss this with your insurance professional. If there is any question, it is better to obtain a commercial auto policy so that, in case of an accident, there is no chance of being uninsured.

How Can You Lower Premium Costs?

Commercial auto business insurance premiums can be lowered by:

• Business Location – the location of the vehicles determines premiums for theft.
• Driver Records – hire only qualified drivers with safe driving records.
• Choice of Vehicle – sales people may want sports cars, but five-star safety rated, domestic, mid-sized sedans have the lowest premiums.
• Deductibles – can your business afford part of the risk and maintain a high deductible? If so, your premiums will be lower.
• Safety and Anti-Theft Devices – alarms, GPS tracking, air bags, seat belts, and other such devices can significantly lower premiums.

Special Commercial Coverages and Considerations.

Certain businesses must adhere to federal and state regulatory standards in the operations of their vehicles. For example, if your business will be hauling cargo interstate, there are specific Department of Transportation requirements for insurance that must be met. You will need to make sure you and your insurance professional have a thorough understanding of those requirements. Also, if you will be delivering or hauling for others or using other’s equipment such as leased trailers or rental equipment, you will need hired or non-owned vehicle coverage.

Who is the Insured?

Make sure you know the insured. Sound simple? Maybe. But, all to often businesses set up a leasing company to lease equipment to the main company and the leasing company is the titled owner of the vehicles. A common mistake is to identify the main company and not the leasing company as the titled owner on the policy. Or, the dba of the company and not the full name of the company is listed. You want the full name of the company as an insured, the titled owner, any affiliates, and dba, and all employees as insureds on your commercial auto policy.

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “Before You Purchase Commercial Auto Business Insurance.” For more information, please visit www.about.com.

Halloween Safety Tips for Trick or Treaters

Trick or Treating safety is important on Halloween night. Learn how to keep safe outside while trick or treating in this free child safety video eVillage’s Halloween expert.