Take a few minutes to learn about safe practices for your smartphone.
At Advantage One, we've designed our mobile app for busy people who want to manage their money by phone or tablet whenever they have a spare moment. We've also designed it with many security measures to protect your financial information. However, privacy protection is a team effort. So we're taking this opportunity to offer some tips on how to best use your mobile device.
Advantage One Mobile Security Measures
- When you use the mobile app, your accounts are protected by 128-bit encryption, just as they are when you bank online.
- You sign on to the mobile app with the same User ID and Password you use to access your accounts in Online Banking.
- The mobile app doesn't store transactional information on your mobile device, so your accounts are not exposed if your phone is lost or stolen.
- You assign your Online Banking login, which can be any available login ID you choose.
General Security Tips for Safe Downloads
- When downloading the mobile app to your mobile device, be sure to go to a trusted source such as the App Store for iOS devices or Google Play on your Android™ device, rather than a third-party source.
- When installing any app, look up the developer's name and check out reviews and ratings of the app. Many times users will identify potential issues with an app. If in doubt, don't install an app.
- Always check the application permissions and application requests and ensure that the permissions the application requests match the features the application provides.
Other Tips & Best Practices
- Always use a lock screen utilizing a pin, password or a bio-metric reader so a casual user cannot access your information.
- Do not store your login IDs on your device or allow apps to save your login or account information. This protects your information in the event that your device is lost or stolen.
- Do not bank, shop or check sensitive accounts over public Wi-Fi, such as Wi-Fi offered at coffee shops or book stores.
- Don't assume the Wi-Fi connection is private just because it requires a password. Only use trusted private networks or your device's mobile network connection (which encrypts your data) to view confidential information or make purchases.
- If your phone uses Bluetooth or Near Field Communication (NFC), turn those features off when you aren't using them. This blocks unwanted downloads and prevents intruders from accessing your information.
- Keep your device up to date with the most current operating system and updates. Many updates are made specifically to counter malware threats.
- Download anti-malware protection for your phone, tablet, e-reader or any other device that has mobile access to the Internet. This software should minimally be able to scan the device to identify and remove malware. Many current packages also allow you to lock, locate, or even wipe your device completely in the case of theft or loss.
- Do not root or jailbreak your mobile device to get around limitations set by your carrier or device manufacturer. It may remove protections built into the device to defend against mobile threats.
- Be extremely wary of clicking links in texts or SMS messages from unknown recipients. This is the most common way for a user to accidentally install malware on their device.
- Most malware needs to trick the user into installing it on their device, so be sure you know what you are installing. If in doubt, don't install it.
- If your phone is stolen or lost, the first thing you should do, if you have the capability, is to lock the device using your anti-malware software. If you cannot lock your device on your own, contact your wireless carrier to report the incident and suspend your mobile number.
Advantage One CU is a credit union serving members in Michigan and across the country.