In our tech-savvy world, everything is readily accessible and convenient…even banking. Gone are the days of waiting in line at the bank or even waiting for your computer to boot up. Now you can access your bank account from anywhere in the world via your smart phone or tablet.

But consumers need to be more cautious than ever when banking through any device, as hackers can prey on the unsuspecting, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns. The FINRA Investor Education Foundation, part of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, offers these five tips on how to keep your identity safe and your money in the bank:

Password-protect your phone or tablet so that only you can access the information on your device. This will help protect you if your phone or tablet is ever lost or stolen.

Never provide personal information unless you initiate contact with your bank or other financial institution. Financial institutions should not request account numbers, Social Security numbers or other sensitive information through email or text messages. If you’re not sure about a request, contact your bank by calling the number on the back of your debit or credit card.

Don’t stay “auto-logged in” to your accounts. Even though it’s convenient, it increases the risk that an unauthorized user will access your accounts.

Delete old texts from your bank to reduce your exposure to fraud.

Report lost or stolen devices immediately to your wireless provider and financial institutions.

Read more from FINRA about how to protect your money.

As a new generation increasingly uses the internet, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns parents that mobile applications for smart phones and tablets are siphoning children’s data and sharing it. In most cases, the applications’ developers do not disclose whether data is being collected, with whom it is being shared nor how it is used.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a study called “Mobile Apps for Kids – Disclosures Still Not Making the Grade,” nearly 60 percent of children’s applications available from the iTunes store and Google Play that were examined by researchers “…failed to provide any information about the data collected through the app, let alone the type of data collected, the purpose of the collection and who would obtain access to the data.”

“As parents, we try to do everything in our power to monitor our children and keep them safe,” said Kim States, BBB president. “So it is very disconcerting when a study like this comes out and shows that our children’s information is out in cyber space and may be accessible by others with ill intentions.”

BBB offers the following tips for keeping children’s information safe prior to using an app:

• Check into the app before downloading. It is important to research and look into the details, such as the developer information and privacy policies.
• Be aware of the service of the app. Many free apps are used for advertising purposes and as a result can lead to different, unexpected pages without your permission. Make sure that the app does not bring your child to an unwanted page.
• Monitor how much your children share. Look into the amount of information that your children are sharing over the app and make sure that you are comfortable with that information being released to cyber space.
• Check out a company with the BBB. Prior to purchasing an app, always check reviews on www.bbb.org

For more advice on finding businesses you can trust, visit www.bbb.org

Social networking is becoming more and more popular and now kids younger and younger are going online to interact. According to Inside Network, nearly 21% of Facebook users are between the ages of 13 and 17 as of September 2011.

Children tend to not pay attention or be aware of many online scams or cyber threats that exist on the Internet, so coming up with a plan of action is important. Parents need to monitor their children’s online habits and keep the following advice in mind.

Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona urges parents to explain the difference between sharing and over sharing. While social networking is about connecting with people, kids should never share personal information such as phone numbers, addresses, bank account numbers, passwords or their Social Security number. Talk about what constitutes inappropriate photos or language and stress the fact that, once something is posted, it can never fully be taken back, even if deleted.

Join them online. Parents should set up their own account in the same social networks as their children. This will help better understand what social networking is all about. Parents can also “Friend” their child and keep an unobtrusive eye on what they are doing.

“Never talk to strangers” applies online too. One of the first rules kids learn is to never talk to strangers. Parents should remind children that the rule holds true when online. Even though chatting with a stranger online can seem harmless, the relationship can evolve and grow until the stranger has earned a child’s trust, and can then exploit it.

Set strict privacy settings. Most social networking sites let users determine who they want to share information with. Advise children about restricting access to social network profiles to only friends or users in safe networks such as their school, clubs or church groups.

Keep the channels of communication open. Let kids know that you are always ready to talk if they are ever threatened, bullied or feel uncomfortable about an experience they had online. Report concerns about data collection from children under 13 to the Children’s Advertising Review Unit of the Council of Better Business Bureaus at www.caru.org/complaint.