Photo Caption: Joscelyn Campbell, Executive, Corporate Integrity Unit, JN Group encourages customers to be vigilant during the JN Bank Members Meeting in Morant Bay, St Thomas, on February 1, 2024
Having financial security is more than just having enough money to pay your bills and live comfortably. It makes no sense having money if you’re making it easy for others to get to it.
With criminals continuing to find ways to steal money through digital channels, Joscelyn Campbell, Executive, Corporate Integrity Unit, at the JN Group is urging people to be vigilant when banking and to ensure there are proper controls in place to secure their funds.
“Be careful not to give away the keys to the ‘vault’,” he told members at a JN Bank Members’ Meeting in St Thomas recently. “The secret to financial security is not about having money but having more control over the money you presently have,” he added.
Here are a few tips he shared that can help you to better secure and manage your funds at the bank.
- Beware of scamming equipment. Learn about the devices being used by fraudsters to steal cash, such as skimmers and pin hole cameras placed inside ATM facilities. Knowing about them will help avoid being robbed.
- Protect your card/PIN. Never share your card PIN, not even with family or a joint account holder and never let your card out of sight. Do not use simple number combinations, your telephone numbers, your date of birth or marriage anniversary dates for your PIN, as these details can be easily obtained. If you have a joint account, the second account holder should get a separate card with a different PIN, which they should also keep a secret.
- Check your bank balance regularly, so you can detect any fraudulent activity quickly and report it to your bank. Always keep your receipts and check them against bank statements. Sign up for alerts with your bank and pay attention to text messages and emails your bank sends.
- Be skeptical about people offering to help you use the ATM. Don’t be too welcoming to others who offer to help you, because what you are doing is compromising your account. If you are unsure how to use the facility speak to your bank.
- Report any suspicious activity immediately. If you suspect any fraudulent activity on your account, report it immediately to your bank. Also, report any suspicions you have with ATMs or vendors using POS devices.
