“Never log into online banking with public WiFi” — wait, why not?

Wireless free Internet (WiFi), like what you find at coffee shops, the public library, and other public places, takes place over a public network. Even if you need a password to access the Internet, you’re still sharing that connection with others. And it’s very easy for someone with even basic hacking skills to spy on the data flowing to or from your computer in that setting. If you submit anything sensitive, like your login info, on such a connection, a hacker could steal it.

Bottom line, there’s a difference between a secure website and a secure connection. At Pacific Crest, we take the security of our web services very seriously. However, we can’t guarantee the security of the connection you use to access those. Please play it safe: never log into Pacific Crest online banking from public WiFi.