SECURITY CENTER

Tips to Help Defend Yourself against Fraud & Scams

Scammers are growing more sophisticated and are targeting you and your accounts through emails, texts and phone calls. It is critical that you are aware of the signs of these scams and learn how you can help protect yourself. Your security is important to us.

1. Don’t get caught by a “phish” hook:



  • Don’t believe everything you see. Scammers know that email is one of the most commonly utilized communication tools and they use this to their advantage.


  • Don’t trust the display name that pops up in your email account; this can be easily spoofed and scammers can make it say anything. Be cautious about trusted brands, logos, copyright, and legal disclaimers.


  • Look but don’t click. Hover your mouse over a hyperlink to see exactly where it will take you.


  • Don’t click on links or attachments.


  • If it smells “phishy”, be extra vigilant. Would the CEO of your company really ask you to transfer money? Would your boss really ask for a download of business information to be sent externally? Ask yourself (and then validate) if the request makes sense before acting.

2. Be wary of checks from unknown parties:


  • Bring checks from unknown parties to the bank to verify the validity of the check.


  • Scammers will often send checks through the mail with instructions. This may include a request to deposit a large check then have the person wire a portion of the money to the sender/mailer while the person depositing the check keeps a portion of the large check as a fee or gift. If you follow those instructions, you may end up owing thousands of dollars to your financial institution when the check is returned because it is fraudulent.

3. Don’t give out personal information to strangers:


  • The bank will never call and ask for your account information, SSN, Pin, or password over the phone or through email. Most other companies that collect sensitive information follow similar practices, so be extra careful when someone is asking.


  • Double check that any phone number or link provided to you in a text or email is valid before clicking on it or calling it. The best way to do this is to go directly to the company’s website and get the information independently.

4. Keep passwords safe:


  • Use a reputable password manager to electronically store very complex and unique passwords for each of your accounts.


  • When creating your own passwords, make them easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess. It’s best to use a phrase that is personal to you - like your favorite song lyrics or line from a poem - and then substitute the letters for characters. Then, add in the account that you are using it for.

Examples: Tw!nk[eTw!nk[e[!ttle$tarAmazon or Tw!nk[eTw!nk[e[!ttle$tarEbay


  • Don’t reuse your password across accounts. Scammers use stolen passwords and assume that they can use them on other accounts too - and they are often right!

5. Manage your social settings:


  • Set your privacy settings on social media accounts to the strongest that the system allows. Scammers can utilize publicly available information to find common answers to security questions – like your birthday, place of birth, and mother’s maiden name.


  • Make sure that you know who you are connecting with. Once you connect with someone on most sites, you are giving those connections more access to your information. If you see or suspect something suspicious, report it to the site.

Visit Onguard Online (onguardonline.gov) for practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to guard against fraud and protect your personal information.


If You Become A Victim of Fraud, Phishing, or SMiShing Scams:

  • If you have responded to an e-mail or text message that you suspect may be fraudulent, contact the bank immediately so we can protect your account(s) that may have been compromised. You will probably want to close the account(s) and open a new one(s).


  • If you shared your Social Security Number, you should also notify the three major credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.


If you think you have been scammed, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through the Internet at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ or by calling 1-877-ID THEFT (1-877-438-4338).

Visit Onguard Online (onguardonline.gov) for practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to guard against fraud and protect your personal information.


If You Become A Victim of Fraud, Phishing, or SMiShing Scams:

If you have responded to an e-mail or text message that you suspect may be fraudulent, contact the bank immediately so we can protect your account(s) that may have been compromised. You will probably want to close the account(s) and open a new one(s).


If you shared your Social Security Number, you should also notify the three major credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.


If you think you have been scammed, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through the Internet at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ or by calling 1-877-ID THEFT (1-877-438-4338).