Última actualización: 09/02/2022

Online shopping, working from home or being social via mobile phone have become part of our daily lives. For that reason, at Santander we think it´s important to adopt good online security habits.

The constant use of internet, social media, email… they all demand our attention so we can recognize the signs of any suspicious activity. Remember these tips to help you be safer online, identify scams and improve your online awareness.

Secure purchases

• Get to know the online merchant: Before purchasing online, read reviews, comments and ratings about the merchant to find out its reputation. If you’re buying on an app, download it from the official Apple or Google Play outlets.
  
  
• Make sure the URL is safe: Authorize purchases only on websites beginning with HTTPS or showing a lock icon. This guarantees any information exchanged between you and the merchant will be encrypted.
  
  
• Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA): Whenever possible, use a multifactor authentication (MFA) to make purchases online. You can do this when setting up an account with the online merchant, downloading a new app or when making mobile payments. ‘Contactless’ payments with mobile phones already have a layer of security.
  
  
• Activate notifications: This will keep you informed of any activity relating to your accounts and cards so you can spot suspicious transactions. It’s just another way to do online banking safely. 
  
  

Identify suspicious messages

• Multiple channels: Remember, you can receive fraudulent messages via email, text message/SMS and even social media. It’s okay to be suspicious of odd messages.
  
  
• If you get an odd message, ask yourself: 
  • Were you expecting it? This should raise a red flag immediately.
  • Do you recognize the sender? Hover over the email address to make sure it matches who the sender claims to be.
  • Are you asked to do something? Phishing messages usually ask you to do something, like clicking on a link, downloading a file or sharing sensitive information. 
    
    
• Think before you click: If you are unsure about a message, verify it on a trusted channel. For example, if you have doubts about a notice from Santander, enter your customer profile and check if you have unread notifications. If you suspect it, report it. 

Watch out for identity theft and social engineering 

This year, identity theft has risen on instant messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. Scammers use social engineering to trick their victims into sharing security codes generated by apps when they enter the same linked phone number on another mobile. This lets them take over apps and access contacts and chats. 

• Be discreet: WhatsApp lets you make your profile picture visible only to the contacts in your phone so others can’t use it to impersonate you. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Picture > Contacts to change your settings now.
  
  
• Secure your account: WhatsApp also lets you activate MFA for an extra layer of security against fraud. You can also register your email address in case you need to recover your account. Go to Settings > Account > Two Step Verification > Activate and follow the instructions.

It’s always good to adopt best practices in cybersecurity and protect yourself online. Share this article on social media to help your friends say safe online too!