My boyfreind and I will be visiting his sister and her family for a few days next month. I will be using her home computer to get information about my bank accounts. I do not know her that well and I would like to delete this information from her computer after I am done. How do I do this without her being able to retrive the info? Thanks.

PS I cannot use another computer since niether my boyfreind and I have a laptop and my boyfriends sister lives in a rural area.

There should be no way for her to retrieve your info, unless she has something like a keystroke logger in place.

If you are just looking things up online, then you can e-mail the links to yourself so all you're typing in is your passwords and there's no way to find out your bank if you clear out the cache and cookies after your use the computer.

Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by clear out the cache.

Log out and restart computer.

Since it is someone else's computer, you really don't want to clean out the cookie cache. That would be rude as you might clean out something that she would need.

I always feel like bashing my husband when he cleans out mine!

Your account information will not be on her computer if you're just viewing account information online. And, she will not be able to access your accounts without your user ID and password.

Since you are a guest, you should not be trying to delete anything on her computer, especially if you do not understand common terms like "cache".

Hi--just a thought, but if you are just getting info from your bank, such as balances, etc, why not just use a phone--that has a cord --and forget using the computer....seems like an easier route w/no privacy concerns.

As long as you are just viewing the bank data, it will not be 'on' their computer. However, do not download any info or it will be on that computer. You can pay bills, etc on their computer as long as it's done on the bank's web site. Be sure, if 'asked' if you want the computer to remember your password for the bank site, say NO.

"you really don't want to clean out the cookie cache. That would be rude as you might clean out something that she would need"

That's an interesting take on the situation. Cookies and cache are two different things and on my own computer, I clean out both of them at least once a week.

You just opened a can of worms.
I won’t go into any lengthy basic computer security procedures but my first instinct would be:
if you’re only going for a few days, do you absolutely need to check your bank account?
But if you do:

- Make sure she doesn’t have a keystroke logger. This is a utility which captures everything anyone types on the computer.
- Make sure she has firewalls in place, especially if she has wireless connection (and if she does, is it secured and encrypted?)
- Make sure she has an up to date anti-virus / spyware / malware utilities and run them on a regular base.
Make sure she does not have any file sharing utility (like bit-torrent or Napster) on her computer.

If she doesn’t have those basic security measures don’t user her computer at all.

But if she does:
- When you go onto the bank’s website, you can put in your username and password, if a prompt comes up for you to save those you say “NO”.
- After you’re done, make sure you click “logout” on the bank’s website, this should clean and / or erase the data from the specific cookies and session information.
- Only after you clicked “logout” close the browser window.
- Restart the browser and (some browsers ask you if you want to continue the session say “No”), go into the bank’s website and make sure you it doesn’t log you in automatically.

After reading all the above, wouldn't it be easier to call the 800 number?

It's only a few days. What's going to happen to your bank account over that short period of time that requires checking it on vacation?

I can guess. Maybe a CD matures, and she wants to renew for different amount of time, or add/subtract money?

FainaAgain, you are exactly right about a CD maturing when I am at my boyfreind's sisters's place. I want to see were I should this money and I need to use a computer, not a 800 number to see what investment oppoutunities are available. I would wait until I return from his sister's, but we come back on a Sunday night and Monday morning I have to leave for a two week business trip. So, weather I am using her computer or a computer at a hotel or internet cafe I still need to know how protect myself.

I am not very good with computers, I know how to delete cookies and browsing history, etc. Could somebody please explain what a cache is.

Also, I agree, that if a delete the history/cookies/ etc. on her computer it is unfair to her since she may need this information.

zloar, My boyfriends sister works from home using her computer, I know that she has all the necessary security features. All the more reason why I shouldn't clear out her history/cookies, etc.

What if I am using a public computer (hotel/internet cafe) on the business trip. How do I protect myself.

Thanks for the help.

Virtually every bank site and broker site uses https (a secure encrypted connection). Provided that your boyfriends sister's computer does not have a key logger merely closing the browser when you are done should be sufficient.

Your paranoia about your boyfriends sister suggests she isn't too trustworthy and doesn't bode well for a very good relationship with her.

It's OK to be paranoid about boyfriend's sister. Husvand and I have been married over 25 years and we are all paranoid about his sister - have caught her going thru our stuff on Christams Eve when the rest of us were at church and specifically passworded all sorts of computer stuff in anticipation of her visit this past year.

If you are really concerned, a matured CD doesn't need to be re-invested the minute it matures. It could wait til you get back from business trip. Do you really want to spend time researching investments while away? Well, maybe you want to get away from the sister.

Can't you do your research shortly before you go away and leave instructions for the bank as to what to do with matured value?

If I were that concerned about her snooping or worse, I would not use her computer for banking or email [perhaps she could read it too].

My bank allows seven business days after the matured date. Have you checked to see if yours does too?

I am sure that if you explained that you would be out of town, they would extend the grace period for you.

You could open a savings account [at the bank where you have the CD]to use for the matured funds and then switch it out when you come home, at your convenience.

Before you leave, get the name and phone # of one (or more) of the people who sit at the desks in your bank. That person can take care of it for you by phone. It will not be some nameless, faceless 800 # person. Just be sure that you use a phone with a cord.