Identity theft is growing at an alarming rate. Studies have shown that one in three people fall victim to fraud on a daily basis. While this may be the case, the current pandemic situation has even further accelerated the numbers. Here are some helpful tips to ensure you don’t fall victim to fraud.

Be mindful of your password: By giving out your password to a second party, you leave your account susceptible to fraud. A strong password should be over 8 characters, inclusive of upper and lower case letters, a number and a symbol. Make use of strong passwords when setting up your email, banking apps, phone password, and the likes. Avoid the use of guessable passwords such as your name, spouse’s name, home address and date of birth

Use *901*911# to secure your account in case of phone theft: If your phone has been misplaced or stolen, you can take these simple steps to safeguard your account:

• Dial *90*911# from any phone
• Input the registered phone number on the account you want to blacklist
• USSD profile will be deactivated and blacklisted automatically

Avoid connecting to public WiFi: While the thought of connecting to a free WiFi can be exciting, it is not worth the risk. Most public WiFi connections are used as bait by fraudsters. Once anyone connects to it, they can hack into their devices and access personal information including password and PIN.

Stay vigilant when making purchases online: Are you shopping for a new device or maybe booking a flight ticket? Always make sure a website is secure before proceeding to input your card details. Research the website, check reviews and be sure it is not a front for identity theft.

Check your account and bank statement regularly: Most times, cases of identity theft are unnoticeable till many years later. This is why you need to check your bank statement and your balances regularly to ensure there are no unusual activities on it. It is better to be safe than sorry.

The tips above will help you safeguard your account from identity theft. Remember that Access Bank will never ask for your confidential account details. Call 01-2712005 or email contactcenter@accessbankplc.com to report any suspected scam. You can connect with the bank’s social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more tips on how to keep your account safe.