pencil and calculator on a paper with a line graph
Spam, Phishing, Internet and Phone Scams! Lost or Stolen ATM/Debit Card
Call 1-844-202-5333 to report an ATM/Debit Card lost or stolen after banking hours.
NEW: Card Cracking Scam
Card cracking happens when a fraudster reaches out to a bank customer promising quick cash. The customer provides account credentials to the scammer, who then deposits a fake check in the customer’s account. The fraudster then makes and immediate ATM withdrawal, sharing some of the funds with the customer. Meanwhile, the customer is instructed to report the card or credentials lost or stolen so that the bank will reimburse the stolen money–making the customer a criminal accomplice. Avoid online solicitations for easy money, never share an account number or PIN, never file a false fraud claim with a bank and report suspicious social media posts connected to scams.
Fraud Alert: Consumers Beware and Watch Out for New Phishing Scams
There has been quite a bit of recent media attention about data breaches and card security in general, we want to remind you to be vigilant about protecting your credit and debit card data and beware of phishing scams that can become more prevalent after a widely-publicized incident. As always, it is important to remember that MasterCard does not directly contact cardholders to request personal credit or debit card account information.
You’ve probably heard the term “phishing” but you may not be sure how to identify if you’ve been targeted and what to do if you think you may have been affected. In order to help you become savvier about phishing scams, here are some quick tips and resources to help you avoid getting pulled into their scam:
Many scammers use the Internet to promote fraud through uninvited email, commonly known as “spam”. These scams include pyramid schemes, investment opportunities, “Risk Free” opportunities, phishing (Identity theft) and many others. New scams come out every day. Anyone who uses a computer and connects to the Internet needs to be familiar with spam and other types of Internet fraud and take measures to protect themselves and their computers against these types of attack.
Phishing – According to Webster’s is “the practice of luring unsuspecting Internet users to a fake Web site by using authentic-looking email with the real organization’s logo, in an attempt to steal passwords, financial or personal information, or introduce a virus attack”.
Vishing – In this scenario an attempt to persuade consumers either by email, text message, or a telephone call, purportedly from their credit card/debit card company or bank, to divulge their Personally Identifiable Information, claiming their account was suspended, deactivated, or terminated.
Smishing is a form of criminal activity using social engineering techniques similar to phishing. The name is derived from “SMs PhISHING”. SMS (Short Message Service) is the technology used for text messages on cell phones.
Lottery & Sweepstakes Scams – The potential victim is sent an e-mail notification that they have won money. However, to obtain the supposed winnings the winner is told that he/she must pay taxes up front or some other fictitious fee. Sometimes the scammer doesn’t require money up front, but asks for the winner’s account number, supposedly to deposit the winnings, but really to steal.
Nigerian Scams – This e-mail is supposedly from a citizen of another country (often Nigeria). He writes that he needs your help to gain access to his funds that he cannot touch because of the country’s regulations. He offers to greatly reward you for your help. All he needs is your account number, supposedly to transfer the funds, but really so that he can drain your savings. There are many versions of this scam.
Online Auction Scams – In this scenario, the victim is the seller. The buyer sends a cashier’s check to the seller for an amount larger than the purchase price. They buyer asks that the difference is sent back to him/her and usually tells the seller that he/she can keep a little extra for the trouble. Even though it is a cashier’s check, that doesn’t mean that it’s safe. This check is later found to be counterfeit and the seller is out the money that they sent back to the buyer.
JURY Duty Scam – A new type of fraud has surfaced and is growing.
The caller claims to be a jury DUTY coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the Scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. If you give out any of this information your identity was just stolen.
The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma , Illinois , and Colorado , AZ and more. This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system.
The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.
Scammers are working hard at trying to fraudulently get consumers money. Please visit the Internet Crime webpage for details of some of the most common scams and protect yourself!
http://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports from consumers who received an e-mail that has the appearance of being sent from the FDIC. The e-mail informs the recipient that “in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, federal, state and local governments…” the FDIC has withdrawn deposit insurance from the recipient’s account “due to account activity that violates the Patriot Act.” It further states deposit insurance will remain suspended until identity and account information can be verified using a system called “IDVerify.” If consumers go to the link provided in the e-mail, it is suspected they will be asked for personal or confidential information, or malicious software may be loaded onto the recipient’s computer. This e-mail is fraudulent. It was not sent by the FDIC. It is an attempt to obtain personal information from consumers. Financial institutions and consumers should NOT access the link provided within the body of the e-mail and should NOT under any circumstances provide any personal information through this media. The FDIC is attempting to identify the source of the e-mails and disrupt the transmission. Until this is achieved, consumers are asked to report any similar attempts to obtain this information to the FDIC by sending information to alert@fdic.gov.
The FBI and Banks are warning small business owners and consumers to use two computers. Utilize one computer to handle online banking activities and yet another entirely to surf the web and for email. This approach, while not as convenient, is the best way to prevent malicious software from infecting the computer and makes it much harder to manipulate electronic transfers.
There are many places on the Internet that provide free information on how to protect yourself from Internet Scams. These are some of the sites with helpful information:
http://www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml- U.S. Security and Exchange Commission – Complaint Site
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ – Federal Trade Commission – ID Theft Home Page
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx – The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) was established as a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) to serve as a means to receive Internet related criminal complaints and to further research, develop, and refer the criminal complaints to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement and/or regulatory agencies for any investigation they deem to be appropriate. Your Local Internet Service Provider should be able to provide additional web site references regarding scams, phishing and other types of fraud.
It is strongly recommended that everyone with a home computer that connects to the Internet have the following on their computer:
Anti-Virus Software – Be sure to keep your anti-virus software active and update it frequently. New anti-virus database updates are usually out weekly.
Spam Blocking Software – Run this software at least weekly and update it frequently. New updates are usually released every few weeks.
Personal Firewall – This helps prevent others from controlling your computer remotely while connected to the Internet. If you think you are a victim of an Internet fraud, an Internet scam or Identity Theft, here are some suggestions:
Learn how to protect yourself from Financial Exploitation – Elder Justice Initiative. Check out the Brochure from the Department of Justice.
CONNECT WITH US