ATM/ Debit Card Safety

The best protection when using an ATM is to observe the area in which the ATM is located.

If possible, use ATMs only during the day when there are more people around and avoid ATMs at which you notice suspicious activity nearby, such as individuals sitting in parked cars or loitering.  If you must use an ATM after sunset, be sure to select a location that is well lighted.

Besides being vigilant about the location of the ATM, use the following safety tips when using an ATM:

  • Have your ATM or Debit Card (“card”) ready and in your hand as you approach the ATM to reduce the time spent at the ATM. Don’t wait to get to the ATM and then take your card out of your wallet or purse.
  • Prepare deposits at home to minimize your time at the ATM.
  • Keep your account information confidential by always taking your transaction receipts with you; do not leave them at the terminal.
  • Compare your records with the account statements you receive from your bank.
  • Don’t leave your card lying around the house or on your desk at work.  No one should have access to the card but you.  
  • Always protect your card and keep it in a safe place, just like you would cash, credit cards, or checks.
  • Do not expose your card’s magnetic stripe to magnetic objects such as check out scanners.
  • Never give any information about your card or PIN over the telephone.
  • Make sure that no one can see you enter your PIN.  Use your body to obstruct the view of others when you enter your PIN.
  • Notify Los Angeles National Bank immediately if your card is lost or stolen –  “lost or stolen” card contact information appears on your monthly statements and on our website.  This will reduce the chance that it will be used for the wrong reasons.  Prompt notice to the bank will limit your liability for unauthorized transactions.
  • Never allow a cashier or any other person to enter your PIN for you, even if they are helping you with the transaction.  Do not accept assistance from anyone while using an ATM.
  • Do not count or otherwise display any money you received from the ATM.  Immediately put your money into your pocket or purse and count it later.
  • If you are using a drive-up ATM, be sure passenger windows are rolled up and all doors are locked.  Before rolling down the window to use a drive-up ATM, observe the entire area to make sure that it is safe to do so.  If you leave your car and walk to the ATM, lock your car.

 

 

Online Banking

  • Use an anti-virus and firewall protection on any PC that you use to access your bank account information online.  These items help protect your computers from viruses that can steal space on your hard drive or steal personal information.
  • Protect your password and never share this information with anyone.  The best practice is to select a password that does not include your personal information, such as birth date, social security number, phone number, etc.  If possible, it is also advisable to create a password that is at least 8 characters in length and consists of a mixture of higher and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters.  If you must write down your login information, be sure that it is stored in a safe place.  Avoid using words found in the dictionary, or very common passwords such as password or 12345…   
  • Change your password often, at least every few months.
  • Beware of any suspicious emails, which are often the means by which cybercriminals perpetrate “phishing” schemes that attempt to lure individuals into entering credit card information, PINs (personal identification numbers), passwords or other sensitive information.
  • Be wary of suspicious websites and/or fraudulent pop-ups, which often include offers for credit score monitoring or computer virus removal.  Install a pop-up blocker to avoid these unwelcomed messages.  Try to visit only sites that you know to be trustworthy.
  • Communicate with your financial institution immediately if you believe that you submitted or otherwise provided your personal information to a fraudulent party.  Also, be sure that you always keep your personal contact information current with your financial institution so that they may contact you either by telephone or traditional mail.  Never send us or any other party any private information through standard email, which is not considered secure and is susceptible to third party interception.  Los Angeles National Bank will never request personal account or password information via email or telephone.
  • Use public Wi-Fi connections with great caution, as these network “hot spots” are often unsecure and information passed through them is not encrypted to protect data that is transmitted.  This provides a means of entry for a person on the same network to capture confidential information or gain access to your computer.  If you have a wireless network set up at home, make sure that it is encrypted and password protected.
  • Regularly check for updates to your operating system, internet browser, and software to fight against any identified vulnerabilities.  Keeping these areas updated will keep your computer protected and reduce your exposure to the latest threats.
  • Check your account frequently and notify us immediately if you notice suspicious transactions.  Our EZ Online Banking service offers an alerts feature that allows you to receive notifications whenever a certain type of account activity occurs. 
  • Log out of your session and clear your cache when you’ve finished with your online banking transactions.  Simply closing your browser window leaves your account vulnerable to intrusion.

 

 

How Los Angeles National Bank Protects You

Your protection is the highest priority for us.  Keeping your personal information secure requires effort on our part as well as yours.

Our tools and monitoring systems ensure your identity is safe.

Online Banking

  • Web Site Encryption – All EZ Online Banking sessions are secure and any information sent between your computer and the bank is encrypted.
  • Extended Validation Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate – We use digital certificates from VeriSign® that verify that you’ve connected to our official Internet banking website.  These certificates also confirm that all communication between you and LANB is encrypted and therefore secure.  Encryption is a mathematical method of coding information, rendering it virtually impossible to decipher.
  • Unique Usernames and Passwords – You select your own Username and Password.
  • PassMark Authentication – LANB uses this security precaution, which helps validate your identity by first checking identifying information about the computer from which you are attempting to login. 
  • Firewalls – Our designated Server blocks unauthorized access to our internal computer system, where your information is stored.
  • 128-bit Encryption – Scrambles information being transmitted between Los Angeles National Bank and online banking into a code that is virtually impossible to decipher.
  • Automatic time out period.  We recommend that you do not leave your computer unattended when logged into EZ Online Banking.  Our system will automatically log you off after a period of inactivity as lapsed.
  • Lockout.  To prevent someone from trying to guess your Password, access to EZ Online Banking will be blocked after a number of unsuccessful logon attempts.
  • Details of last logon.  To confirm that there has been no unauthorized access to your account, when you logon to EZ Online Banking you will see the date and time (Eastern Standard Time) of your last visit, plus the date and time of your last failed logon attempt.
  • Monitoring – We monitor for unusual activity on your accounts.  However, this is not foolproof and does not take the place of you regularly monitoring your accounts.

Technology

  • We protect our computer system with backup files, virus detection software, firewalls, and other computer software and hardware.  These efforts protect the integrity of our computer systems, thus ensuring the safety of your personal information.

Limited Employee Access

  • Access to account information is restricted to only those employees who are required to have access to it in order to assist you or complete bank related tasks.  
  • Los Angeles National Bank employees are required to keep customer information confidential, and are subject to disciplinary action or termination if they fail to do so.

Physical Security

  • Strict policies and procedures are used at all LANB locations to protect the physical security of you, our staff and any sensitive information. These procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to account for changing threats and ensure compliance with federal laws.
  • Verification – for example, when you change your address, we request specific information about you to verify your identity before making any changes.
  • Account monitoring – irregular account activity (multiple check orders, address changes, heavy withdrawals) prompts a phone call for information.
  • Fraud detection – we have account monitoring tools that recognize identity theft.  We regularly receive information about known fraudulent addresses and phone numbers, and compare them to new account requests and account changes.

 

Additional Resources

View a helpful video by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) to learn more about how to recognize and combat online fraud. http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/guard/index.html

Microsoft Security – find out about operating system updates and other software to protect your personal computer from viruses, and more. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/search#q=security

National Cyber Security Alliance – this organization is a cooperative effort by government and organizations to help combat online fraud and identity theft. http://staysafeonline.org/

Federal Trade Commission – read about how you can prevent identity theft and what to do if it happens. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/

AnnualCreditReport.com – allows you to access your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year at no charge. https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

Direct Marketing Association – contact the DMA to help reduce unwanted mail or phone calls. https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/home.action;jsessionid=93468FBE24C8B8C3E717DAA73DFA0143.tomcat2