As online banking becomes more popular, there are a lot of people who want to take advantage of this technology to use it for fraudulent activities.

Banks and other financial institutions that offer this type of service continuously do their best to improve their systems to prevent cyber-criminals from illegally accessing bank accounts. However, they can only do so much. The user also has a responsibility to make sure their log-in information is safe with them.

If you are an online banking user, here are some tips to avoid falling victim to such scams:

• Log on into the website using a secure computer.
• Avoid using public computers.
• Make use of Security Software (Antivirus, Firewall, Anti-spyware).
• Do not give your username and password to anyone, especially through email or instant messaging. (Learn how to protect your passwords)
• Do not click embedded links in emails and IM messages. Log on directly to the website by typing the address in your browser. For more information regarding this article, read these Tips for secure Internet Browsing.