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Mobile Banking App Security

Your financial protection is our priority and we take it very seriously. Security when you bank on your phone or tablet is no exception. Banking security begins with Santander and ends with you. Using industry-standard security protocols that encrypt data, all of the information that flows between you and Santander Bank is encrypted, and your personal information is never saved on your device when you use our Mobile Banking App.

Santander Mobile Banking App Security Features:

  • Santander® Instant Card Hold,◊ which allows you to put your misplaced or stolen debit or credit card on hold. Unlock at your discretion, any time.
  • 5-Digit PIN authentication log in option for increased log-in security.
  • Automatically logs out after five minutes of inactivity.
  • Identity verification using a One-Time Passcode (OTP), a randomly generated code consisting of letters and numbers sent by text to your phone that you will need to use to perform certain tasks like creating a new payee. This ensures that you, and only you, will have access to your account.
  • One- touch calling to Santander Customer Service, which provides swift assistance any time you suspect fraudulent activity.
Santander Bank is always improving and updating the mobile banking app to defend against the latest mobile banking security threats. Make sure you’re using the latest version with all our most up-to-date security measures.
Our Digital Banking Guarantee1 protects you from loss resulting from fraud, which means that we will cover any loss you incur due to unauthorized activity when you promptly notify us. 

Mobile Banking Security Tips

Mobile banking security isn’t just about what Santander Bank does to protect your information. You too can take steps to protect your user data, private information, and personal accounts. Your phone contains a multitude of personal data that could be potentially exposed if your phone is lost or stolen. Find out what you can do to help strengthen your mobile banking security.

  1. PASSWORD PROTECT YOUR MOBILE DEVICE – Passwords are the first line of defense in mobile security against fraudulent access to your phone. Secure your mobile device with a password that does not contain any repeating numbers or numbers associated with personal information, such as a phone number, house address, social security number, etc.

    Mobile banking security tip: Select a random string of numbers, letters, and special characters for your secure mobile password. In general, longer passwords are more effective than short ones.
     
  2. AVOID BANKING ON PUBLIC NETWORKS – Many mobile devices allow you to connect to different types of networks, including public Wi-Fi networks. Public connections aren't very secure, and information transferred over a public Wi-Fi could be intercepted by anyone “listening in” on that network. Most places that offer a public Wi-Fi hotspot warn users not to share sensitive information over the network.

    Mobile banking security tip: If you need to access your account information, disable the Wi-Fi and switch to a cellular network connection. This ensures that your banking information can travel over secured and encrypted signals.
  3. USE ONLY AUTHORIZED BANKING APPS – The official Santander banking app has the data encryption and protection for your account. Using third-party banking apps that ask for your mobile banking login information can be risky. Unauthorized apps may not have the same digital security and data protections that the official app has.

    Mobile banking security tip: Download the official Santander Mobile Banking App from the Apple App Store or from the Google Play store.
    app storegoogle play

  4. BEWARE OF MALWARE AND VIRUSES – While viruses on mobile devices aren’t as common, there are sneaky ways that someone can get your personal information. Keylogging programs, malware, and malicious programs can be installed on your mobile device without your knowledge when you download poorly constructed apps or surf the darker sides of the internet.

    Mobile banking security tip: Be careful of where you browse and what you download. Only download programs from reputable app designers. Install virus and malware protection on your mobile device.

  5. DO NOT FOLLOW LINKS – You may have heard the term Phishing, which refers to the practice of tricking users out of personal information by creating an email or communication that looks exactly like your bank. This email may look exactly like a legitimate request from your bank or a retail vendor you are familiar with; don’t fall for it. They are trying to “bait” you into clicking the links. If you do, the link may take you to a website that may look legitimate, but it is not. Or the link may go to a website that has malicious viruses designed to infiltrate your mobile device. Never provide your password over the phone or online in response to an unsolicited request.

    Mobile banking security tip: Santander Bank will never ask you to provide your full credit, debit, or ATM card number, your card PIN, the security code on the back of your card or your online banking login credentials. If you get an email from Santander Bank and need to know if it is legitimate, type the web address for Santander Bank's website directly into your browser. Then, log into your account and check your email notifications. If it is legitimate, then you will find a copy there.

    Report all fraudulent/phishing websites for banking security review. Contact a Customer Service Center Advisor at 1-877-768-2265 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, seven days a week.

1Digital Banking Guarantee: When you use Online Banking, we guarantee that your money is protected against online fraud or losses and that your bills will be paid on time. You are protected against unauthorized online transactions as long as you check your statement and promptly notify us of any unauthorized activity. Refer to your Digital Banking Agreement for details on guarantees and your responsibilities for promptly reporting unauthorized transactions, as well as a list of supported mobile devices.

3 If you share your device with other individuals, please note any fingerprints stored on your device may be used to log in to the Santander Mobile Banking App and access your account.

◊ Santander Instant Card Hold will block most types of transactions, including purchases made with your card. Please note that some types of transactions will continue to process, including recurring debit/credit transactions presented to us by certain merchants for monthly membership or subscription fees.