
Fraud
We’ve gone to great lengths to make sure your money, your identity and your accounts are safe and secure, but we also need your help.
If you suspect fraud on any of your AmeriServ accounts, contact us toll-free at 1-800-837-2265.
Timely Tips - Vacation and Travel Security
Even if you leave your desktop computer at home, you’ll probably stay connected when you’re vacationing – you can check your phone on the beach or on a mountaintop.
Travelers often rely on technology to enhance vacations, like by sharing photos online or finding lodging on an app.
As you embark upon your next adventure, remain cyber safe following some simple practices to keep your vacation plans free from cybercriminal meddling.
Getting ready to go
Limit the number of devices you take with you on your trip. The more laptops, tablets and smartphones you take with you, the more risk you open yourself up to.
Check the privacy and security settings on web services and apps. Set limits on how and with whom you share information. You might want to change some features, like location tracking, when you are away from home.
Not only will this feature allow you to locate your phone, it gives you the power to remotely wipe data or disable the device if it gets into the wrong hands.
Set your devices to require the use of a PIN, passcode or extra security feature (like a fingerprint or facial scan). This will keep your phone, tablet or laptop locked if it is misplaced or stolen.
On the go
Location tools come in handy while navigating a new place, but they can also expose your location ‒ even through photos. Turn off location services when not in use, and consider limiting how you share your location on social media.
Do not transmit personal info or make purchases on unsecure or public Wi-Fi networks. Don’t access key accounts like email or banking on public Wi-Fi. Instead, use a virtual private network (VPN) or your phone as a personal hotspot to surf more securely.
Think twice before posting pictures that indicate you are away. Wait until you getting back to share your magical memories with the whole internet. You might not want everyone to know you aren’t at home.
Best Practices
Maintain strong passwords.
Strong passwords make it extremely difficult to break into your accounts. Here are some tips to help:
- Avoid using words that are easily guessed, such as your child's name or your favorite sports team.
- Use the greatest combination of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols that a site will allow.
- Password managers are a great way to not only create strong, unique passwords - but they also store them securely so you don't need to remember them.
Check the site.
If you are banking or shopping online, check that the site you are using is security-enabled. Look for sites that start with "https://", which means that the site is taking extra precautions to help secure your information.
Connect carefully.
If you're at home, make sure your Wi-Fi network is password-protected so that outsiders cannot log onto your network and gather information. If you're in a public place that offers Wi-Fi access, be cautious of what you send over their network. Try to refrain from banking or other sensitive activities until you're in a more secure location.
Keep it current.
New computer viruses (and new versions of old ones) are being released all the time. So making sure you have the latest security software, web browser, and operating system updates are your best defenses against these threats. Often, you can set those updates to be automatically installed as soon as they become available.