Beware of Increasing Wire Fraud Scams

Wire fraud is a prevalent threat, posing significant risks to individuals, businesses, and financial institutions. This type of fraud involves the unauthorized transfer of funds through electronic means, often resulting in monetary loss and devastating consequences.

Please consider the following tips to help protect against wire fraud:

1.       Be familiar with bank practices
We will never call you asking for your personal identification number (PIN), account password, or sensitive information like your social security or credit card numbers.

2.       Stay alert for fraudulent emails or calls that appear to come from a bank representative
A common tactic used by fraudsters is to create a sense of urgency by pressuring you to act quickly, bypassing established procedures and encouraging you to give out sensitive information, such as your PIN or RSA token.

3.       Always verify the source of the communication
Scammers can easily spoof legitimate companies or trusted individuals. For email, closely examine the sender’s e-mail address. Do not click on links in text messages; navigate directly to the site using a known URL or trusted bookmarked page. For calls, hang up and call back using our official telephone number.

4.       Exercise caution when sharing information online
Cybercriminals scour social media, public records, and the internet for information they can use to help them appear legitimate. Posing as a representative from a legitimate organization, they use the information they collect to gain your trust and trick you into revealing passwords or sensitive information.

5.       Use strong unique passwords or a passphrase
Consider using a password management tool to create strong passwords or passphrases that are long and difficult for anyone to guess. We will never ask you for your online banking password.

Immediate steps to take

If you receive a request that appears to be from us but raises any doubts, do not proceed. Instead, terminate the call and contact us directly using the official bank telephone number provided on our website or in your banking documents.

Your security is our top priority. We will never contact you to ask for your financial or personal information, nor will we ask a third party to log in to your computer. If you receive a message requesting confidential information that claims to be from us, do not click any links and contact us immediately. It is critical to share this information with your team and continue to foster a vigilant workforce with regular training to help safeguard your business.