Tips to Protect Your Accounts

Protect your personal and financial information. While banking continues to get more and more convenient, there are also more and more ways for your account to get compromised. Read our tips to help secure your accounts.

General Best Practices

  • Comparison checkmark Frequently check your accounts and report errors or fraudulent transactions to Needham Bank
  • Comparison checkmark Utilize alerts with online, mobile and text message banking to stay on top of your account

Here are a few proactive steps you can take to protect your ATM/Debit card:

  • Avoid using easily identifiable numbers
  • Do not share your PIN number with anyone
  • If the ATM looks broken, tampered with, or otherwise different from what you expect, do not use it
  • Take your receipt with you
  • Report any lost or stolen cards immediately

While all of Needham Bank’s ATMs are in clean, well lit, and safe areas, you never know when or where you’re going to need an ATM.

Here’s a few precautions you should take when visiting other ATMs:

  • Give people ahead of you space to conduct their transactions. Make sure no one watches you key in your pin number
  • Use your body and free hand to shield the ATM keypad during the transaction. If the lights at the ATM are not working, don’t use it
  • If anything blocks the view of the ATM, don’t use it
  • If you see any suspicious activity around an ATM, report it to the Bank

Needham Bank’s online banking platform is safe and secure, but it is always good to keep a few things in mind when accessing your accounts from a computer or device.

  • Password Security– Like all passwords, your online banking password should be kept private, and not written down. We recommend that your password be at least eight characters in length and include both letters, numbers, and special characters if possible. Since passwords don’t expire, we suggest changing it every 30 – 45 days to ensure increased protection.
  • Passwords & User IDs– Choose unique passwords and user IDs that are not the same as those you use for emails or social networking sites.
  • Log off, disconnect, shut down – Always sign off from online banking or any other Web site that you’ve logged into with a user ID and password and when a computer is not in use, disconnect it from the Internet or shut it down.
  • Designate a single computer for all online banking transactions– Do not use this computer for surfing the web or going on social media websites. When not in use, turn the computer off.
  • Watch out for sudden popup windows when browsing the internet – Some may attempt to get personal information from you, encourage you to download malicious software, or trick you into paying for removal.
  • Don’t use public computers for sensitive transactions – Since you cannot validate the computer’s integrity, there’s a higher risk of fraud when you log in from a public computer.
  • Public Wi-Fi is inherently insecure – so be cautious. If you need to access any websites that store or require the input of any sensitive information – including social networking, online shopping, and online banking sites – it may be worthwhile accessing them via your cell phone network, instead of the public Wi-Fi connection at coffee shops, hotels, shopping malls, airports, etc.
  • Stay protected – Make sure any computer you access your online banking account from is equipped with spyware and antivirus software that is up to date. While we do not endorse any one product, you should install an ICSA Certified antivirus product: www.icsalabs.com/products. Independent antivirus reviews can be found here: www.av-comparatives.org. It is also important to make sure that your computer performs automatic updates and software patches relative to the Operating system.
  • Email Safety– Malware and Phishing are common security threats associated with emails. To protect yourself, be mindful to never open or respond to SPAM (unsolicited bulk email messages), never click on links within an email or open attachments if the email is from an unknown sender, and avoid downloading or opening files with odd extensions like .exe, .pif, or .vbs as they are executable files and could cause damage if opened. It’s important to never include sensitive information in an email, or give out your email address to unknown websites. Needham Bank will never ask for your password or other account information by email.

While other scam and fraud methods (online, spyware/malware) get more attention, the most common method of getting account information is over the phone. 

Needham Bank has a few suggestions on how to protect yourself from phone scams:

  • Never give out account information over the phone. A Needham Bank employee will have any financial and personal information they need to identify you, and help you with your account.
  • If you are suspicious, do not give the caller any personal or financial information. When in doubt, look up the phone number from an independent source and call back.
  • Do not respond to a voice mail or email requesting your account information

Mobile devices have made life much easier, particularly with the rise of smart phones. Unfortunately, it’s also an easy way for a criminal to access your account unless you take a few security precautions:

  • Never save passwords, account PINs, or any other personal identification information on the phone. Require a password to unlock the phone
  • Be sure you are downloading apps from a trusted source
  • Never set a phone to automatically log into any important account. Use strong passwords for all accounts
  • Do not respond to any text messages asking for bank information
  • Keep your mobile device’s operating system updated. Download the latest release updates when you are notified of them to ensure any security patches included are installed and active.
  • Consider disabling WiFi, Bluetooth, and Location Services when you are not using them. Leaving them on all the time makes it easier for bad actors to access your information and attempt fraudulent transactions.
  • Consider adding a reputable mobile security app to your mobile device for additional protection
  • Have the ability to remotely remove data from your device if it’s lost or stolen

It’s your lucky day; you just won a foreign lottery! The letter says so. And the cashier’s check to cover the taxes and fees is included. All you have to do to get your winnings is deposit the check and wire the money to the sender to pay the taxes and fees. You’re guaranteed that when they get your payment, you’ll get your prize.

There’s just one problem: it’s a scam.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of one of these check scams: 

  • If it’s free or a gift, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Free is free.
  • It’s illegal to play a foreign lottery through the mail or the telephone, and most foreign lottery solicitations are phony
  • Never wire money to strangers
  • If you’re selling something, don’t accept a check for more than the selling price, no matter how tempting the offer or how convincing the story
  • If you accept payment by check, ask for a check drawn on a local bank, or a bank with a local branch. Legitimate buyers don’t pressure you to send money by wire transfer services. If the buyer insists that you wire back funds, end the transaction immediately.
  • Resist any pressure to “act now.” If the buyer’s offer is good now, it should be good after the check clears

If you think you’ve been targeted by a counterfeit check scam, report it to the following agencies:

  • The Federal Trade Commission. Visit ftc.gov or 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
  • The U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Visit U.S. Postal Inspection Service or call your local post office. The number is in the Blue Pages of your local telephone directory.
  • Your state or local consumer protection agencies. Visit NAAG for a list of state Attorneys General, or check the Blue Pages of your local telephone directory for appropriate phone numbers.

In addition to all of the above considerations, there are a few other things to take into consideration when traveling:

  • Notify Needham Bank by phone, or in person, if you plan to travel
  • Consider taking more than one method of payment, such as a debit card, credit card, cash and travelers’ checks
  • Save Needham Bank’s contact information so you can contact us should you need assistance while traveling

More information on ways you can stay safe online is available at the following sites:

Personal Fraud Prevention

Learn how to protect yourself and others from fraud and scams.

Learn About Personal Fraud Prevention

Fraud Recovery Checklist

If you believe you’ve become a victim of fraud, follow our recommended steps so you can limit the impact to your account(s).

Read the Fraud Recovery Checklist

Common Scams

Every day fraudsters are developing new ways to scam innocent people. It’s important to understand that anyone can fall victim to fraud.

Learn About Common Scams

Fraud Prevention for Business

Safeguard your business by proactively reducing the risk or fraud.

Learn About Fraud Prevention for Business

Frequently Asked Questions

View All frequently asked questions

You can open a personal checking, savings or CD account any time online. Or, you can stop by your nearest Needham Bank branch and one of our customer service representatives will be able to assist you in opening a new account. Make sure to have two forms of identification, your social security or Tax ID number, and your initial deposit.

NB Business Online Banking is a great solution to managing your business accounts. It allows you to view account history, include multiple entities within one online profile, transfer funds, initiate wire requests, pay your bills and invoices online, pay your federal taxes online, and download your information into QuickBooks. NB Business Online is customizable to your business needs. We can help you save time and be more efficient.

A construction to permanent loan typically has a 12 month interest only period during the construction phase followed by a fully amortized mortgage loan.

After your checking application has been approved, you will receive our routing and transit number and your account number. 

We will assist by telephoning SSA with you or by providing contact information, so you may call from the privacy of your own home to set up.

Yes. Account information is available with our Customer Service Representatives during business hours at any of our offices or by calling our Telephone Banking Line 888-833-5590 for automated account information 24 hours a day.

A Construction-to-Permanent loan is a residential mortgage loan that combines the construction phase with a fully amortized mortgage so that you only have to attend one closing.

After your checking application has been approved, you will receive our routing and transit number and your account number. If your employer participates in a direct deposit program, simply provide this information to the human resources or payroll department at your company and your direct deposit will usually begin within thirty days.

Needham Bank offers Money Market and Statement Savings accounts. Please check out our Deposit Rates page for current rate information.

Personal Checking, Savings, Money Market, CD Accounts, Consumer and Residential Loans are available to open online. At this time, no business accounts or Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) can be opened online.