Personal Online Banking Security

Introduction Demo/Help Privacy Statement Security FDIC Contact Us

To assure the security of your transactions, BSI Online requires browsers capable of 128-bit encryption. Our system is monitored 24 hours a day so that any suspicious activity is immediately identified. There are a number of other steps that have been taken to ensure the security of this data and your transactions, including 24 hour surveillance, real time reporting, automatic shutting down of your session if there is no activity for thirty minutes and encryption. Bath Savings Institution uses a dedicated server and a firewall which acts as a barrier between the Internet and the bank.

All information that is transmitted to and from us is encrypted. This means that your information is scrambled while it is on the Internet so that it can be kept private. You can identify a secured site with encrypted information by the padlock that appears during an encrypted session. If the padlock is locked, the site is secure.

There are many things you can do to ensure your security:

Always use the latest version of your browser.
Do not disclose your BSI Online Access ID or Password to anyone and do not write them down where they may be easily found.
Do not use a password that can easily be guessed, such as your birthdate or a child's name.
Change your password frequently.
Do not leave your computer unattended after you have signed on.
Be sure to use anti-virus software for all your Internet activity.
A personal firewall helps to keep your information private. Whenever you are online, regardless of the type of Internet connection you use, your PC is vulnerable to attacks. A personal firewall can be hardware, software, or a combination of the two. Using a personal firewall is smart protection from hackers and loss of personal information.

If you forget your password, BSI Online allows three invalid attempts before locking the system. Your account must then be reset. Please call us during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST) at 1-800-447-4559, or send us a secure email message through our “contact us” email on this website with a number where you can be reached during the day. We may need to contact you for more information.

Most Internet Browsers have a feature which leaves a trail every time you fill in Web forms. If your browser’s history is not properly cleared, others can trace and access your personal information. To clear cached data, follow instructions for your browser to “clear history”. Check with your browsers “Help” for online support instructions on how to clear the history of cached data.

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information to establish credit, purchase items or borrow money in your name. The FDIC has a tool to help you protect yourself against identity theft. Click here to view their multimedia tool:
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/guard/

Here are some ways you can protect yourself:

Safeguard your personal information such as social security number, credit, debit and bank account numbers. When disposing of this information, do it by shredding.
Examine your financial statements upon receipt. Report any discrepancies immediately.
Obtain copies of your credit report annually from the three credit reporting companies:
Equifax: www.equifax.com
Experian: www.experian.com
TransUnion: www.transunion.com
Remove mail promptly from your mailbox and do not put any outgoing mail in your curb side mailbox, take it to a Postal Service box.
Use a firewall and antivirus protection software.

Protecting Your Personal Information

Bath Savings Institution has many safeguards in place to protect your personal information from unauthorized disclosure, however, Internet scams are one of the fastest growing frauds today. We have received reports of “spoofed” websites of Maine community banks, and while we haven’t had one at Bath Savings, it could happen. This type of fraud is called “phishing”. Fraudulent websites are designed to fool an email recipient into divulging personal financial information. An email is sent with a link to the website, which looks like the bank’s website but it is a fraud. The customer is asked for account numbers or social security numbers.

In an effort to assist you in protecting your personal information please remember:

Bath Savings Institution will never send email messages that request confidential information, such as account numbers, passwords, or PINs. Please report any attempt to obtain this information to us.
Bath Savings Institution’s Web site should never be accessed from a link unless that link is provided by a web browser. You may also access the website by directly typing in the Web site name – www.bathsavings.com

For more information on online information scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website at the following address:
http://www.ftc.gov