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RBC's top online security expert available for comment
TORONTO, March 5, 2008 — Canadians need to be
vigilant in protecting themselves against fraud and according
to one of RBC's top experts, the best way continues to be
through education and knowledge.
March is Fraud Prevention Month and to help raise awareness
about the dangers of online threats, RBC's Jim O'Donnell,
senior vice-president and chief information security officer
is available for media commentary regarding topics related
to online security.
Here are 10 practical and useful tips from RBC experts that
will protect you against computer fraud:
- Protect your personal information. Be aware of
current online ploys that try to get you to provide personal
and/or financial information. Do not respond to unsolicited
e-mails or phone calls that ask for confidential information.
- Don't Open Suspect E-mails. If you don't know
the source of an e-mail or if it looks suspicious, do not
open it. Never click on a link or attachment in an e-mail
that you suspect may be fake. See RBC's
Phishing Resource Centre for more details.
- Remember to log off. Ensure that you always properly
log off and close your browser. This will prevent others
from being able to view this information later.
- Safeguard your PINs and passwords. Never share
your passwords and use ones that are difficult to guess,
preferably ones that include a mix of letters and numbers.
Change your passwords frequently.
- Be wary of pop-up windows. Especially those that
request financial or identification information. Avoid clicking
any "action" buttons within a suspect pop-up window.
- Keep your computer healthy. It is very important
to check the websites of your operating system and web browser
vendors for software "patches" and updates in
order to protect against software vulnerabilities.
- Use antivirus software. Antivirus software can
protect you from potentially damaging viruses that can enter
your computer without your knowledge. You should always
use up-to-date antivirus software and one that is capable
of scanning files and e-mail messages for viruses.
- Use personal firewalls. A firewall creates a barrier
between your computer and the rest of the Internet. It can
help to protect against malicious attacks and block certain
types of data from entering your computer.
- Use anti-spyware. Anti-spyware will help to protect
your computer against unwanted software from being installed
without your knowledge. Anti-spyware also helps protect
against slow performance.
- Use anti-spam software. Spam is a growing source
of computer viruses. Use up-to-date anti-spam software along
with your antivirus software. If you receive spam, remember
this: don't try, don't buy and don't reply. Just delete
it.
RBC is continually educating clients through its public and
online banking sites at www.rbc.com,
and www.rbcroyalbank.com,
and its Financial Fraud brochure located in branches
across the country.
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For more information or to arrange an interview with our
expert, contact:
Jackie Braden, Media Relations, 416 974 2124, jackie.braden@rbc.com
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