Safety in Paper

Security Paper - Protecting You 

Every document has a security risk but the question is how much? Use this Security Risk Calculator to see what security paper features will help you authenticate and protect your documents.

Security papers are often used for things like:

• High value and business checks
•  Traveler’s checks
• Bonds and stock certificates
• Gift certificates
• Marriage, birth, and death certificates
• Prescription pads
• Motor vehicle titles
• College transcripts

Multiple levels of protection prevent fraud. The first and easiest way to fake a document is to put it in a scanner or copier and press start. But know that scanners and copiers can’t pick up what’s they can’t see. Basic security measures include invisible fluorescent fibers and multiple indicator stains to recognize tampering. These are things that scanner won’t be able to replicate. 

Watermarks are also a common way to make documents harder to replicate. A watermark is a recognizable image in paper that appears as various shades of lightness/darkness when viewed by transmitted light. A good one makes documents nearly impossible to duplicate. These measures are usually used on higher value and higher risk items.

These are just a few of the safety measures that you have the ability to make. We’d rather you be safe than sorry!

Photo Credit to David Goehring and Hay Kranen. 

Mobile Banking: iOS > Android

Google’s Android platform is growing faster than Apple’s iOS but iOS is still a friendlier platform for bankers. Simply put: iOS users are more engaged.

Malauzai, a leading mobile banking software provider, compared the two platforms. Of the 160 thousand mobile users, 66% use iOS. Of the iOS users, 72.5% use mobile banking at least once in a 90-day period.

More specifically, look at transfers, bill pay, remote check capture, or picture pay. The value of money movement for an iOS user is 80% higher than for Android. Picture pay and bill pay require users to take pictures of bills to make payments. iOS users use this service at a rate 70% higher than Android. Also, iOS users are 300% more likely to expedite payments. This creates a revenue opportunity for banks and credit unions.

According to Malauzai, one conclusion that could be made is that iOS devices are purchased by older users who can afford the devices. In turn, those consumers are most likely more profitable consumers to financial institutions. These customers tend to hold high balances and pay more bills from their checking accounts. 

Apple’s iOS also seems to be safer than Android. Applications are fully evaluated and examined before customers have access to them in the iOS App Store. This has prevented widespread malware infection. Android, on the other hand, has provided the ability to install apps from third-party sources. Although some are well-known and reputable like Amazon, others are not. Some have been found to originate from Russia and China malware hotspots. Developers deconstruct and decompile popular apps and publish malicious versions. 

All and all, customers deserve a safe and user-friendly experience when they use mobile banking. Apple’s iOS platform not only seems to provide that, but generates more profit for banks and credit unions.

sources:

http://www.malauzai.com/docs/monkeyinsights_1013.pdf

http://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/security-trends/malware-goes-mobile/why-ios-is-safer-than-android.aspx

Codi Mast

Benjamin Franklin gets a facelift

A new $100 bill will begin circulation Tuesday, October 8^th.

 

The new bill has several unique features to make counterfeiting more difficult including a blue, 3-D security ribbon. Also there are new watermarks and “100s” printed on either side. Except for the $1 and $2 bills, all United States paper currency has been redesigned in the last 10 years. 

Actually, the $100 bill was supposed to be redesigned and released back in 2011. The Federal Reserve announced that there was a problem with the new security measures that was causing the bills to crease during printing. The crease caused white space on the bills.

The $100 bill is the second most common bill in circulation, only behind the $1 bill. According to the Federal Reserve, there are 8.6 billion $100 bills in circulation. Now obviously we don’t have to turn in the old bills for the new, but I’m excited to get my hands on one.