Protect yourself: 3 ways scammers are targeting your bank account
Cybercrime is an ongoing threat and every year, hackers use more sophisticated techniques to steal your private information. Take a moment to review three common banking scams to watch out for and how to protect your privacy.
1. Urgent Text Messages
What it Looks Like: You receive a text message indicating that your account has been overdrawn and you now owe the bank a fee. Scammers want you to click the link and insert your online banking information to pay the fee.
Protect Yourself: Don’t click on unfamiliar or untrustworthy links. If you’re concerned about a potential overdraft, call your bank directly, check your accounts via the mobile banking app, or visit a Financial Center.
2. Phone Call Indicating Fraud Activity
What it Looks Like: You get a call from someone indicating they’re from your bank and they detected fraudulent activity on your account. They tell you all you have to do is give them your username and password to verify it’s your account and they will reverse the charges.
Protect Yourself: Don’t provide your online account information. Hang up and call your bank. Remember, banks will NEVER ask you for your online banking log-in information.
3. Fraudulent Website Looks Like Your Bank Site
What it Looks Like: You use a search engine to bring up your bank’s website and attempt to log-in. Everything looks normal, except the URL is slightly different.
Protect Yourself: Never use a search engine to access your bank’s website. Always type the URL directly and bookmark or favorite the website to save it in your browser. Even more secure, use your bank’s online and mobile banking app. Scammers are duplicating websites and using paid ads to trick customers into entering their online account information into a fraudulent site.
The best way to avoid having your bank account or other personal information compromised is to be aware of the scams outlined above and be on the lookout for suspicious text messages, phone calls, and email requests for your account information.