Your phone buzzes. There's a text saying unusual activity was spotted on your account. You need to act now. There's even a link to make it easy.
It looks real. Maybe the number looks familiar. But something makes you wonder: Is this really from my bank?
Mobile banking makes it easier to manage your money from almost anywhere. But scammers have gotten better at making texts, calls, and websites look convincing. Knowing a few things to look for, as well as what to do when something doesn't feel right, can help you bank from your phone with more confidence.
Is mobile banking secure?
Yes. Mobile banking can be a secure way to manage your money when you use the official app and follow good security habits. Golden 1 has protections in place to help keep your account and information safe. You can add to those protections with a few simple habits of your own.
Use a strong password, keep your phone locked and updated, and be careful with unexpected messages asking for passwords, security codes, or other account information.
No technology is completely risk-free. But you don't need to become a security expert to help protect yourself. Start with three words.
Pause. Check. Protect.
When something unexpected happens with your money, it's natural to want to fix it immediately. That's what scammers are counting on.
They may tell you there's a suspicious charge, your card has been compromised, or your account is about to be locked. Then they'll offer a quick solution: click this link, confirm your password, or give them the security code that just arrived on your phone.
This kind of scam is often called phishing: someone pretends to be a person or company you trust to get you to share information or do something you normally wouldn't.
That's when you need to remember:
PAUSE
Don't let urgency make the decision for you.
If someone unexpectedly tells you there's a problem with your money, give yourself a moment before doing anything.
A scam often moves quickly:
- Something's wrong. "There's suspicious activity on your account."
- You need to act. Your card will be blocked, your account will be locked, or your money is at risk.
- It looks convincing. You see a familiar logo, realistic-looking website, or phone number that appears legitimate.
- They need something from you. Your password, PIN, card information, or the security code that just arrived.
- They use it. The information you provide may help them get into your real account.
You don't have to figure out whether the person is telling the truth while they're pressuring you. Stop the conversation and check for yourself.
CHECK
Go back to a Golden 1 source you already trust.
Don't use the link, phone number, or contact information in an unexpected message to check whether that same message is legitimate.
Instead, open the Golden 1 Mobile app yourself, type golden1.com into your browser, or call Golden 1 at 1-877-GOLDEN 1 (1-877-465-3361). You can also send Golden 1 a secure message through Online or Mobile Banking.
And here's an important distinction: a text from Golden 1 isn't automatically a scam.
Golden 1 does use text messages for things like one-time passcodes, banking alerts, card alerts, and fraud alerts. What matters is what someone asks you to do next.
Golden 1 does not contact members through unsolicited calls, emails, or text messages to request your:
- One-time passcode or security code
- Password
- Code word
- PIN
- Card or account details
Golden 1 also won't threaten you or pressure you to provide that information immediately. If someone does, stop communicating with them and contact Golden 1 yourself.
PROTECT
Keep the information that unlocks your money to yourself.
Passwords, PINs, and security codes are there to protect you. Don't give them to someone who unexpectedly contacts you, even if the person sounds professional or seems to know information about your account.
If you already shared something, don't wait to see what happens. Change your password from a phone or computer you trust, and contact Golden 1 directly.
10 ways to add another layer of protection
The biggest mobile banking risks aren't limited to what happens inside an app. Stolen or reused passwords, lost phones, unsafe connections, and phishing scams can all put your information at risk. The good news is that a few everyday habits can help.
These mobile banking safety tips focus on the things you can control every day.
1. Start with the official app
Download the Golden 1 Mobile app from a trusted app store or start on the Digital Banking page.
Be careful with unexpected messages telling you to follow a link to "verify," "unlock," or "restore" your account. When in doubt, skip the link and open the app yourself.
2. Give your Golden 1 account a unique password
Use a strong password or passphrase that you don't use anywhere else.
If one of your other passwords ever gets into the wrong hands, using a different password for Golden 1 adds another layer of protection.
3. Add another way to prove it's you
Use the extra sign-in protections available to you, such as a fingerprint, Face ID, or a one-time security code. Using more than one way to verify it's really you is sometimes called multifactor authentication.
And remember: a security code is meant to protect you. Don't give it to someone who unexpectedly asks for it.
4. Lock your phone
Your phone may give you access to your email, texts, payment apps, and banking.
Protect it with a passcode, fingerprint, facial recognition, or the security options available on your device. Consider turning on your phone's find, lock, and erase features, too.
5. Keep your phone and apps updated
That update notification always seems to arrive at the wrong time, but don't put it off forever.
Updates to your phone and apps can include important security fixes. Keep both your phone and Golden 1 Mobile app current.
6. Save banking for a connection you trust
Free Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, airport, hotel, or campus is convenient, but it's better to use a connection you trust when you're checking or moving money.
If you're unsure about the Wi-Fi, wait or use your phone's cellular data instead.
7. Turn on alerts and pay attention to them
Account and card alerts can help you spot something unexpected sooner.
Turn on the alerts that are useful to you and make a habit of reviewing your transactions regularly.
8. Be suspicious of pressure, not just bad spelling
Today's scams don't always look like scams. A message can be polished. A caller can sound professional. A website can look familiar. Pay attention to what you're being asked to do.
If someone pressures you to act immediately, click a link, or share a password, PIN, or security code, pause and check with Golden 1 yourself.
9. Keep security codes to yourself
Golden 1 may send you a security code. Golden 1 won't unexpectedly call, email, or text you asking you to give that code back.
If you receive a code you weren't expecting, don't share it.
10. Save Golden 1's number before you need it
When you're worried about your money, you shouldn't have to wonder whether the phone number in front of you is real.
Save 1-877-GOLDEN 1 (1-877-465-3361) in your contacts now. Then you'll already have a number you trust if something unexpected happens.
What should you do if something goes wrong?
What you do next depends on what happened.
You gave someone your password or security code:
Change your Golden 1 password right away from a phone or computer you trust, then contact Golden 1 directly.
Your card is missing:
If you think it's misplaced, you can temporarily turn it off in the Golden 1 Mobile app. If it's truly lost or stolen, report it promptly.
You see a transaction you don't recognize:
Review it and report or dispute it using Golden 1's current process.
Your phone is missing:
Use your phone's available tools to find, lock, or erase it. If you're worried someone could get into your Golden 1 account, change your password from another device you trust, review your transactions, and contact Golden 1.
The important thing is to act. Don't wait to see if the problem goes away.
