Essential Cybersecurity Month Tips for Ridgewood Online & Mobile Banking Users

October 6, 2026

 

While no cybersecurity defense is 100% secure, following best practices and staying aware can significantly help reduce your risk of being scammed. Cybercriminals are getting more convincing. Fake emails, websites, online ads, social media accounts, texts, and even phone calls can look and sound legitimate, making fraud difficult to spot at first glance.

Common tactics may include:

• Creating a sense of urgency that pressures you into acting before you have time to think
• Supplying partially accurate information about you to seem legitimate and get more details
• Demanding immediate personal, account, or financial information to “assist” you

Beyond recognizing common signs of scams, you can adopt cybersecurity best practices while using Ridgewood’s Online and Mobile Banking to help protect against cybercrime.

Help Protect Your Accounts and Devices

• Install and regularly update your computer, phone, and other devices for banking to help ensure you have the latest security patches.
• Install and regularly update antivirus, anti-malware, and firewall software on all your devices to help spot and block malicious content.
• Maintain multiple backup copies of all important digital files to counter threats like ransomware, which prevents you from accessing information on your device until you pay money.
• Require multifactor authentication (MFA) to access sensitive files
• Use a virtual private network (VPN) to help ensure secure internet access.
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi or devices for actions involving personal information, such as logging into an account or paying online.
• Check the security of websites before entering sensitive information.
• Create hard-to-guess passwords that are at least 16 characters or more, including multiple numbers, letters, and symbols, and use a unique one for every account.
• Keep a keen eye on your credit reports and scores, and freeze your credit profile if you notice any suspicious or unauthorized activity.

Don’t Fall for Common Scams

Scammers may use false threats or grand promises – like freezing your account or paying you thousands for a simple job – to lure you in. Here’s how to help avoid getting hooked:

• Avoid clicking on unsolicited links or files in emails, texts, and instant messages, even if they appear to be from someone you trust.
• Never send money to someone you don’t know or in response to an odd request or an unrecognized sender.
• Verify unsolicited communications with the organization being represented, using contact information you’ve obtained independently, not from suspicious messages, emails, or phone calls.
• Be mindful of what you post on social media, which can be a goldmine of information for scammers.
• Don’t blindly trust your caller ID.
• Avoid confirming private or financial information via phone, email, or online.
• Never share a login security code with anyone.
• Never respond to a multifactor authentication or verification request if you did not send it.

Bonus Resources

For more cybersecurity tips, browse our cybersecurity center or check out our new eBook packed with helpful security tips.

Important Security Reminder:

Ridgewood Savings Bank will never call, text or email you asking for sensitive personal information such as your account or card numbers, online banking credentials, authentication codes, or PIN.

If you receive a suspicious call, text, or email claiming to be from Ridgewood Savings Bank, contact us directly before responding.

 

This blog is for informational purposes only. Products, terms, and conditions are subject to change. Member FDIC.