Regularly monitor your accounts for unauthorized transactions. OC Federal’s alert system, including real-time fraud text alerts, helps you monitor your accounts so fraud won’t go undetected. If you notice anything suspicious, contact us immediately.

Avoid phishing scams that call, text or email pretending to be a trusted financial institution, then asking you to share personal information. Never click links in unsolicited emails or texts or give personal financial information to callers. Although there are some situations in which an OC Federal calls members, an OC Federal representative will never ask for your full Social Security Number or your account username, password or PIN. If you’re unsure if a call is legitimate, hang up and call us to confirm.

Set up screen-lock passwords on all phones, tablets and computers you use. Equip your computers with virus and spyware protection software and keep your computer operating systems and browsers updated. And avoid modifying your operating system (commonly called “jailbreaking”), which will void the warranty and could expose your device to potential threats.

Avoid using online banking while on public WiFi networks; use your cell phone data connection instead. Don’t allow browsers to remember your passwords for financial sites or sites where you shop, and only log in to sites with secure browsing (look for “https” in the URL instead of “http”).

Never share your PIN (Personal Identification Number) with others, and be careful when entering your PIN. Pay attention to your surroundings in the checkout line or at an ATM and shield the keypad from view as much as you can while entering your PIN.

Good usernames and passwords are key to preventing unauthorized account access. Create unique usernames for your financial accounts, use a different password for each site, and never reuse the same username or password on multiple financial sites. That way, if a hacker gains access to one account, the same login info won’t give them access to others.

Before you use your debit or credit card at an ATM, store or gas pump, take a good look at the card payment terminal to see if it looks suspicious. Extra parts sticking out or loose pieces may indicate the presence of a skimming device that thieves use to capture card info.

Paperless banking reduces the risks of mail fraud. Set up direct deposit of paychecks, government checks or pensions so you won’t have to worry about lost or stolen checks. Sign up for paperless eStatements in Online Banking.

Subscribe to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Scam Alerts to receive an email about what to watch out for when a new scam is becoming widespread.