My Bank Account Was Compromised!
By JenInTN
@JenInTN (27514)
United States
May 24, 2011 4:42pm CST
I monitor my accounts online and often buy things online too. I use Paypal whenever I can because of the safety factor of it. There are only two places that I access my accounts from. Work or my laptop. Now I have used the same virus and spyware on my desktop for the past four years...no issues. I have had my laptop now for two..same stuff...no issues. They recently changed virus/spyware at work..and I think that is where I must have got hacked.
Now there wasn't anything taken..just a sign in from New York. The bank locked my stuff up tight until I decided what to do. I have run everything twice..AGV, Charter Security Suite, Mal-ware bytes, Spybot search and destroy, and last but not least..c-cleaner. Nothing. So I go to the IT guys. I tell them all about it and they say...their stuff id the best..Kaspersky. Noway it was from there. I don't know about that though. They have only had the software installed for the last 5 or 6 months. I'm not sure what to think. I mean..nothing I have run at home has found a thing.
The thing that worries me is I can just not use my computer at work..but what about the company? What if they have been hacked? I am wondering if I should say something to someone else. What if it is my computer? Maybe I should take it and have it cleaned just in case. What would you do?
5 people like this
11 responses
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
24 May 11
Wow how scary! 
That would be my fear too, that someone would compromise my PayPal. I think you should say something at work since your laptop has found nothing wrong with it. There will be no harm if nothing is on it, as I would think it is better to be safe then sorry.
That would be my fear too, that someone would compromise my PayPal. I think you should say something at work since your laptop has found nothing wrong with it. There will be no harm if nothing is on it, as I would think it is better to be safe then sorry.
@GardenGerty (160975)
• United States
24 May 11
Is there any other person you need to contact at work besides the IT guys?
@Orson_Kart (6842)
• United Kingdom
24 May 11
It's a worry for sure. My bank account cannot be accessed very easily as you have to select a passcode from a drop-down menu, in addition to the usual password.
I never access my personal accounts from work as I cannot control them - which is what you are saying.
Maybe your bank can/should advise you?
2 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
24 May 11
I am hoping that I will be safe now..I am not going to be accessing it from work again either. I guess I just assumed that the company's protection was the best.
I am thinking not so much now. The IT guys were pretty confident that their choice in protection was the top of the line, but I am a bit inclined to be comfortable with the ones that have been protecting me for a long time. I have never had issues before.
The bank has actually been super helpful..they were right on top of the breach.
Thanks for responding!
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
26 May 11
I am worried about that. When I told them..they just blew off. Their big smart IT guys..lol..I am thinking of just taking my computer to get it checked out real good just so I can tell them..hey..you might want to think about that new virus software..hehe...or eat poo when they find something on mine.
Thanks for responding.
Thanks for responding.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
5 Jun 11
Hi Jen. I think using a work computer for your own personal business is a big no-no. I would never do it, especially banking stuff. The reason I say this is because you are not the only one who has access to your computer and I hate to say it but from where I'm sitting, your IT guys seem to be the most suspicious.
I was a bit shocked when months ago, I found where all my passwords are stored on my computer. Then, not the most recent Firefox upgrade but the previous one, I found that my bank password is included there.
The thing is, maybe anyone can access your computer when you are away from it...like before or after work or while you are at lunch. Also, emails you forward can have tracking devices and carry info. It's always best to BCC your "To" list, delete the "Fw" in the subject line and make sure the body of the email carries only the message...no other addresses or tags - delete everything so the email you send is clean. You will be protecting yourself and your friends too.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
5 Jun 11
Hi MsTickle! Thanks for the advice. Yes..I have come to realize that our computer at work is not where I want to be accessing my account from. I guess I thought it would be one of the safest because of the protection they have to have for their network...I was wrong. I never thought about anyone that worked there, but that is a very good possibility. You just never know.
That is great advice for the email too. I can't tell you how many I have got with all the addresses on them...forwards.
@celticeagle (168306)
• Boise, Idaho
25 May 11
Now days you can't be too safe. Rmember my last problem? I had the best, the company that was advised to me by another company that couldn't get the job done. And I was still wormed. You just never know. One thing I have learned too is that these hackers are waiting to pounce. It may have been while your company was installing the new anti virus. If you are going to worry I would say you should go have it cleaned. Then you have a fresh start. And you probably should say something to your company.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168306)
• Boise, Idaho
25 May 11
I wonder about the virus makers too. Do they pay eachother to keep goind or what? So you have had AVG on your PC for free for the last four years? I just installed it lastnight and it is giving me 29 days for free so I am wondering. And doesn't all the other stuff you run slow down your computer?
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
26 May 11
Yes..there is a free version of it. You never have to pay. There are pay versions, but the free version is great. No..the other stuff doesn't run unless I tell it too. It's set up so that I prompt it's updates and runs. I update and run them one at a time so there isn't anything running while the other is. You can also set manually the times they update so that they aren't running at once. My computer is fast as lightening. I would say the cable internet service helps with that too though. The stuff I use keeps my computer very clean.
I have a flash drive that adds 4GB of memory too. My school files..homework etc, are downloaded in files on that so my computer really doesn't have much used memory. That helps with the speed too.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
25 May 11
I told the IT guys at work about my conserns but they are all about their new protection. I have had the same protection that I do now on my desktop and I have had it for four years without issue.
I think I might take your advice and go ahead and have it cleaned. The IT guys at work offered to clean my laptop for me, but I'm not sure that I trust their abilities..LOL.
You did have a mess going on. Computers can be a big pain. I just wonder sometimes about the people out there making those darn viruses. Do they have nothing better to do than cost people money and torment them? Gosh.
Thanks for the response!
1 person likes this
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
25 May 11
You are an experienced member of this forum and probably equally experienced in operating internet bank account. it is advisable for us not to access our bank account from public computers - I will include office/company server also in this. Contact the Bank. they will get the account operation reinstated. Keep a very difficult password.
Re. company your bosses must be having some reason for changing the anti virus. it is difficult to convince an employer/company that they are wrong.
have a good day
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
25 May 11
Hi ravisivan! The IT guys at work were very confident of their software. It is hard to convince them.
I think I am ok now...I have been accessing it online for a long time now..I have never had a problem with it before. It has sure shook me up though. I won't be accessing it from work anymore. I am thinking of changing my passwords every few months too.
Thanks for responding.
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
25 May 11
Madam: good you want to change password every month. Another suggestion -- have two/three bank accounts. It is because even if one server is down you may be able to access the server of another bank. Salary account etc. can be in one bank. Other receivables you can put in two three accounts.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
25 May 11
this is a perfect example on why i dont access my bank on the computer. once you log in people can tract it already. there are a lot of hacker who are really good. and it is scary that once they get into it you the owner can not access to it anymore. i hope the bank can help you regarding this. my wife also had a problem with this before for she access all the money she get from her very small business. it is not a large amount but still you can see hacker can smell even the small amount. her paypal noted her that someone was trying to log in but can not access her password. she only gets 10 - 20 dollars at paypal but still there is someone out there who wants to get their hands on this. i just hope your bank can assist you and hope this turns out the way you wanted it to be.... sorry also i can not help.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
25 May 11
Hi se7enthbird! I hope you and your family have been well. The bank locked my account because of the odd activity and I am really glad they were on top of that. I think that everything is worked out now but your right. There are always hackers out there just looking to get what someone else has worked hard for. Take care and thanks for responding.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
25 May 11
Well crap, that's the pits. It's such a shame there are so many good for nothings that make their living cheating everybody. I'd rather be safe than sorry. i would take it & have it checked out from top to bottom. GOOD LUCK, JEN.
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
25 May 11
Hi, Jen....With all of your checking and not finding anything on your laptop, I would really be suspicious of the security at work. Companies are going to go with what they can get the cheapest and not necessarily the best. So I would just not be using the computer(s) at work for personal stuff.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
25 May 11
Hi yoyo! Yes..that is very good advice. I usually don't, but there are occasions that I check my account there. My payroll is direct deposit and I usually look around payday. Not anymore though. I will be checking it from home only.
Thanks for the response.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
25 May 11
Wow, that is a concern! I would mention it to the appropriate people at work just in case. It sounds like you have been doing the right things in order to protect yourself. I use Avast Antivirus and that is very good. AVG is good too; my daughter has that on her laptop. I use Super AntiSpyWare and run that every week. I’ve had viruses before which led me to reformatting everything but no one has ever hacked my bank account thankfully. Hope it doesn’t happen to you ever again!
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
25 May 11
Hi paula! Thank goodness they weren't able to take anything. I would have really been in a mess. It is nice to know that the bank was on top of it. They assured me that they watch very closly and if there is another attempt, they'll lock it again for me.
I told the IT guys but they pretty much said that everything but Kaspersky is junk. That makes me trust them even less..lol.
Sometimes I think people become too confident. I am not so much, I have two virus programs and two spywares..lol..plus a c-cleaner now.
Thanks for the response.
1 person likes this
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
26 May 11
I do my banking transactions online too. And I'm glad that they have systems set up to monitor where it is signed in. And that they let you know about it.
This might be off topic, but I'll write it anyway!
I am from the west coast, and I once travelled to New York for business. And since my bank was national, I just proceeded to use my bank card there. The bank, thinking that I must have been hacked, immediately froze my account. I was inconvenienced by not being able to get to my account for a day, but it gave me a secure feeling, that they are looking out for me.
