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planet
join:2001-11-05
Oz

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planet

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online banking, etc.

I've avoided online banking to date primarily because of my paranoia of a key logger, etc running covertly. A few questions to those in the know:

question 1. Do you use your pc for banking purposes?
question 2. Do banking employees access accounts with potentially insecure computers?

and

I've avoided a debit card instead opting to use an old fashioned ATM only access card. However, the bank now is charging monthly if you use the old fashioned ATM versus a debit card.

question 3. If you use a debit card for ATM purposes only, no use other than an ATM, how likely could it be compromised? (I assume the only vector for compromise would be at the ATM machine, a skimmer perhaps which would compromise any type of card).

regards, planet

owlyn
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owlyn

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1. I've been using my computer for online banking since the early 1990s with zero problems.

2. I've seen employees desks in street level windows with screens facing the window. I reported it to the bank security department, and shades went up on the windows shortly thereafter. Anything is possible. Many ATMs today still run on DOS.

3. Do NOT get a debit card. The bank should be able to provide you with an ATM-only card.
Rojo31
join:2009-04-14
New York, NY

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Tossing a quick 2 cents at your 3 questions:
1. Yes, but only on a Mac.
2. No way for a consumer to tell. Guess it depends on the employee, his access, and his intentions.
3. Personally, I would not use a debit card for any reason.

rfhar
The World Sport, Played In Every Country
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I do not bank online but I do handle my brokerage account online. I am a bit paranoid about security though. In addition to my AV I run the paid versions of Superantispyware, Malwarebytes, and scheduled a note to popup twice a month and remind me to run the free versions of Spybot S&D and Spyware Blaster. I run AdwCleaner once in a while also.

DownTheShore
Pray for Ukraine
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1. Yes
2. Don't know.

In addition to anti-virus and anti-spyware programs running real-time, I also use an anti-keylogger program. I only do online banking on my home system - never on an unsecured or public access point. I use a long password that's not written down anywhere and is not saved on my computer.

I actually prefer online banking, because I can keep track of what's going on on with my accounts real-time, rather than waiting for a statement or a letter from the bank notifying me of a problem.
PrntRhd
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join:2004-11-03
Fairfield, CA

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I feel my client PC is probably safer than the bank server when using online bill pay. The bad guys target the banks vs customers because there is more money at risk there.

My bank online bill pay uses a service that also has verification of when the payee actually received the payment, so the banking customer is protected from the late payment posting/late fee scams by some of the cell providers/credit card outfits. (you don't have to be an armed thief to steal money)
I also receive an email when any new account is set up for the online bill pay, even if it was me performing the set up.

garys_2k
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join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI

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1: Yes, been banking online for years from more than one computer and have never had a problem. I also check my credit card accounts and investments online.
2: No idea, but that would have nothing to do with my use of online resources and any risk to my account via that vector would happen with or without my online presence.
3: I have a debit card that I only use almost exclusively at ATMs. I agree that only a skimmer could steal its information and I do shield the keypad when entering my PIN. A very few vendors I shop at accept it instead of a CC so only on those occasions do I use it. I rarely pay cash for anything, preferring to maximize my CC rebate. I usually carry little to no cash.

Blackbird
Built for Speed
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join:2005-01-14
Fort Wayne, IN

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1. Yes, but I have a specific bank account with tightly limited funding level set up just for that. Online access to another "reserve" account at that bank is blocked, and I have other accounts (checking, etc) at another unrelated bank.

2. It depends totally on the bank and the employee. But as others have mentioned, that's a risk faced regardless of whether or not I bank online.

3. A debit card is a direct portal into one's supporting account. That puts much of the onus onto the account owner, regardless of how a debit card "problem" arises. At such a point, much depends on the attitude and reputation of the bank in how far they will go to be reasonable or understanding.

dandelion
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join:2003-04-29
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1. Yes but only started a year or so ago.. so far good luck with it and I also know the employees at my local bank personally. Any problems they will call me.

2. I hope not.

3. I had an atm card not work and run through 2 more times... as a result the grocery store over charged me that much and it took a month to get my money back. I use credit cards only.
peterboro (banned)
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join:2006-11-03
Peterborough, ON

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I take paper money to the bank to pay paper bills and avoid anything electronic that has to do with my money. This whole obsession with instant this and that is nothing but a giant illusion of stability that will eventually crash and burn.

garys_2k
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join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI

garys_2k

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Your bank "converts" your fiat paper money to electrons as soon as you hand it over. If the "instant this and that ... that is nothing but a giant illusion of stability that will eventually crash and burn" really does crash and burn, your use of paper money will not have helped. We'd all be screwed.

Snowy
Lock him up!!!
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join:2003-04-05
Kailua, HI

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re security & use of any type of plastic, not having a 24/7 online access to any credit or bank account tied into the plastic is very bad idea.

The online access is your first line of defense against plastic abuse.
The extended exposure that an online account brings to the table is minimal nonexistent when stacked against the benefits.

short story: online account access is a valid security tool.

pcdebb
birdbrain
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I've banked online since it became available, so in essense it's been a long time. As far as a debit card, I use a "check card" that has the Visa or Mastercard logo on it.

You can be the most careful person in the world, you will never bee 100% safe in this day and age. If I'm not mistaken, the data hacks are happening in the middle somewhere. Or it can happen at a rogue POS terminal or shady retailer. My mom went to a gas station and they either double-swiped her card or there was something outfitted on their swiper thing to capture her data. Made a dupe card and tried to clean her out in Belize. Thankfully the bank caught it when they kept trying and failed. (sorry to go astray, just using it as an example)

Everyone screaming at Target and saying they wont shop there anymore is only kidding themselves if they think they are safer if the went anywhere else.
MichelR
join:2011-07-03
Trois-Rivieres, QC

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1) Yes. Been using online banking since... 1996 or 1997. Back then it was a separate application that used a dial-up modem to dial a toll-free number to connect. I do pretty much everything online. Haven't received a paper bill in ages, and I pay all my bills online.

2) Hard to say. One would hope they're on top of these things. I check my accounts daily (though usually nothing gets updated on weekends and statutory holidays), so at least if something odd happens, I don't find out days or weeks later.
Expand your moderator at work

nwrickert
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join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL

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Re: online banking, etc.

said by planet:

question 1. Do you use your pc for banking purposes?

Yes, though mostly for reviewing the account and for scheduling bill payments.
said by planet:

question 2. Do banking employees access accounts with potentially insecure computers?

Probably. I have no control over that. As far as I know, most banks try to follow strict security policies, but I presume that they sometimes fail.
said by planet:

question 3. If you use a debit card for ATM purposes only, no use other than an ATM, how likely could it be compromised?

I do that, and have not had a problem.

However, I only use the bank ATMs in a secure location. The most likely risk is a camera recording as you enter your PIN, so it's best to be cautious about where you use it.

sivran
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join:2003-09-15
Irving, TX

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1. Like many here, yes, and I've been doing so for many years without issue. I use my primary desktop and only my primary desktop for this purpose. The only special precaution I take is to open a private tab or window and log in from that, and close it when I'm done. The only bank cookie I have is the flash object BofA uses to remember your sitekey. I'm fine with that.

2. Any computer is potentially insecure.

3. I have a debit card. I do keep it with me, but I never use it except at the bank or an ATM... I might possibly use it as a back up, in case there's something wrong with my credit card or something.

nwrickert
Mod
join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL

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I should have added that I use a different "firefox" profile for banking. So cross-site scripting between my banking and my regular browsing is unlikely. I also close the browser when done with the banking.
Liberty
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join:2005-06-12
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I have all my banking & bill paying done via net
I use non windows computers
Use strong password

I don't have my statements snail mailed, to prevent mail box theft which I think is more likely
I get an email notice I have statement ready to view/print
My bank credit card has a feature to send me a text if one of my cards is used for any use I wish to set an alert for
(I have my alerts set to any gas station purchase, any over $100 purchase and no card present purchases)

When I login to my bank, it displays the date/time/ip address of the last login

I have my utilities set to email me when my bill is ready online to view & then it will auto pay
Secyurityet
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untied state
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said by planet:

I've avoided online banking to date primarily because of my paranoia of a key logger, etc running covertly

Unless your system's bios is compromised, you'll be ok running a trusted live cd version of your favorite OS to preclude anything else on your hard drive stealing your id/logon information.
BoulderHill1
join:2004-07-15
Montgomery, IL

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said by owlyn:

The bank should be able to provide you with an ATM-only card.

I'm curious about this you said.

Perhaps it is just my experience or my methods, but, of what use is an ATM only card?

I have a VISA debit card from Chase bank. I use it everywhere for every possible purchase. (done this for years)

What I don't do is use it at the ATM.

Well for cash that is. I can't even tell you the last time I took cash out at the ATM. Years ago probably.

The only activities I conduct at the ATM are deposits of checks or cash. Anytime I get cash in my hand, it immediately goes into the ATM. That way I can spend it via my debit card and have a record of the purchase.
Mele20
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join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

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You can deposit CASH in an ATM? That has not been possible here in probably 10-12 years. You are begging for trouble doing that for many reasons.

To me, the only reason to use an ATM is to take cash out. I very rarely have checks to deposit and cash deposits are forbidden at ATM machines for both major banks in Hawaii as well as at my credit union which is a large one. I carry very little cash except at the first of the month when I pay all local bills in person in cash that I have removed from the ATM.
Moffetts
join:2005-05-09
San Mateo, CA

Moffetts

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Uh, yeah. You put the cash into an envelope and you insert it into the machine. You type into the machine that you're making a "deposit" and that your envelope contains "cash." It's quite magical, I must say.

Even more amazing are the ATMs that don't require envelopes. They just inhale your cash/checks like a vending machine.

Snowy
Lock him up!!!
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join:2003-04-05
Kailua, HI

Snowy

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said by Moffetts:

It's quite magical, I must say.

I need to get one of those.
Now my cash just goes *POOF*, I have no idea where it goes.
Mele20
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Hilo, HI

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So, you just ignore the warning on the bank's envelope that says NO CASH ACCEPTED ? OKaaaaaaay.........
Mele20

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Your bank is charging you for using an old fashioned ATM card? What reason did they give you for doing that?

Use a credit card rather than a debit card if your bank is forcing you to pay for the "privilege" of using a safer ATM card. Or better yet, change banks and tell the manager of the one you are leaving exactly why you are doing that.

I've been banking online for about 14 years now but I do less and less of it. A major reason I keep a CORDED landline is so I can bank by phone. I pay all but one credit card bill by phone. It is free and much faster, and easier, than doing it online and safer. The one I still pay online I think I will stop doing that. I had a real hassle this month paying it online because this particular bank ALWAYS insists on sending me a special code to use at one point in the login process and I have them send it to my email address. This time, I could not access my email to retrieve it (I have a new security Fx and SM extension, well, not new, but new to me and it changes my IP address constantly so I couldn't login to my email because the changes in the IP address made the company that offers this email in Israel suspicious. So, I had to instead have the bank call me with the special code. The code was read ONCE ONLY and read extremely fast. No way for me to write it all down and no way to have it read a second time. So, I had to call the bank's internet service team and finally got logged in. I could have paid the credit card ten times over on the phone in the amount of time I had to hassle with this).

I like banking by corded landline as I can retrieve the last X number of charges, etc. as well as pay the bill. Only one bank wants a pin number to pay a credit card (or just check balance, etc) over the phone. It's a French bank (second largest in Hawaii) so I guess that is why they make it a hassle to pay by phone but you can call customer service 24/7 and go through an agent to get connected to pay it and that way you do not have to have a pin on the card which is not safe.

owlyn
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said by BoulderHill1:

said by owlyn:

The bank should be able to provide you with an ATM-only card.

I'm curious about this you said.

Perhaps it is just my experience or my methods, but, of what use is an ATM only card?

I have a VISA debit card from Chase bank. I use it everywhere for every possible purchase. (done this for years)

What I don't do is use it at the ATM.

Well for cash that is. I can't even tell you the last time I took cash out at the ATM. Years ago probably.

The only activities I conduct at the ATM are deposits of checks or cash. Anytime I get cash in my hand, it immediately goes into the ATM. That way I can spend it via my debit card and have a record of the purchase.

I use the ATM to take cash out, and to deposit the extremely few paper checks I may receive (rebates, etc.). I do as much as possible online. BTW, I don't go to the bank's site, I use Quicken to pay bills, etc. Even at that, I have most payments set up to be paid automatically. Been doing this for years. Haven't had to deal with a teller in I don't know how long.

GuruGuy
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Atlanta, GA

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said by Mele20:

So, you just ignore the warning on the bank's envelope that says NO CASH ACCEPTED ? OKaaaaaaay.........

ATM's accept cash! Here in atlanta, you don't even need envelopes anymore for checks or cash deposits. The machine scans it when you insert it and reads what it is......exactly the same as it does when it disperses cash. Totally safe and it asks you to confirm whatever you're doing and the amounts.
GuruGuy

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said by GuruGuy:

said by Mele20:

So, you just ignore the warning on the bank's envelope that says NO CASH ACCEPTED ? OKaaaaaaay.........

ATM's accept cash! Here in atlanta, you don't even need envelopes anymore for checks or cash deposits. The machine scans it when you insert it and reads what it is......exactly the same as it does when it disperses cash. Totally safe and it asks you to confirm whatever you're doing and the amounts.

And I think you're confusing no COINS accepted with no cash accepted

lordpuffer
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I've used online banking since 2000. I've never had an issue. I will only do it on MY home network, and no others. I've done it on PC's and Macs. I feel safer doing it on my Mac.

I've always had a debit card since they came out. I guess that I've been pretty lucky, for I use mine for everything (except swipe at the pump for gas), and it has never been compromised. I do realize though that a debit card can be compromised. Even if just used at the ATM.