{"id":15443,"date":"2025-12-15T11:08:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T17:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/?p=15443"},"modified":"2026-02-04T13:21:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T19:21:22","slug":"4-steps-to-boost-your-checking-account-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/4-steps-to-boost-your-checking-account-security\/","title":{"rendered":"4 simple steps to boost your checking account security"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You check in regularly (maybe too<\/em> regularly?) on your social media platform of choice. You frequently scroll through your inbox. You stay up to date on the latest news headlines. But how often do you check in on your checking account?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, if it\u2019s been a while, totally understandable. Your to-do list is probably keeping you plenty busy. But according to the Federal Trade Commission<\/a>, U.S. consumers submitted more than 2.6 million fraud reports in 2023. Protecting your checking account, a.k.a. the home base for your finances, should be part of your financial routine to help you avoid falling victim to fraud or identity theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To protect your checking account, you should familiarize yourself with the safety features of an online checking account\u2014many of which come without a fee\u2014and take proactive steps to strengthen your account security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ready to get started? Improve your checking account security in just four steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Understand what to look for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Protecting your checking account should start with being aware of what\u2019s going on within your own account. \u201cMonitoring your checking account on a consistent basis can be your first alert to potential identity theft before it has a chance to make a lasting impact on your credit report,\u201d says Bola Sokunbi, certified financial education instructor and founder of a personal finance platform for women. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online and mobile banking<\/a> make it easier than ever to monitor your account activity, which you can do from your computer or phone if you have a few spare minutes. When you do, look for suspicious transactions that might indicate fraud. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n