ATM Safety

Stay alert at the ATMs

• Be aware of your surroundings especially at night.
• Use your debit card only at established, well-lit ATMs with security cameras in place.
• Keep your car doors locked and windows closed as you approach drive-up ATM.
• Have your card ready when you approach the ATM.
• Check the ATM for a card skimmer.  A card skimmer is a device attached to the payment terminal of an ATM that is used to steal your card information when inserting your card to withdraw money. You can often spot a card skimmer with your own inspection. If the card reader slot feels loose or is oddly a different color scheme than the bank's branding, or the keyboard doesn't feel right (too thick, buttons don't press easily, etc.), these are often signs that a skimmer is in place.
• Shield the ATM keyboard with your body to prevent anyone from observing your PIN input.
• Don't write your PIN number and never leave it out in the open or keep in your purse or wallet.
• Don't give or lend your debit card to anyone.
• Do not count or visually display any money received at the ATM.
• Always take your transaction receipts with you.
• Always check and ensure that your card is not left at the ATM at the end of the transaction.

Debit Card Protection

Keep your cards safe and sound.

• Don't disclose your personal identification number (PIN) to anyone.
• Don't write your PIN number and never leave it out in the open or keep in your purse or wallet.
• Don't give or lend your debit card to anyone.
• Check your account statements often.
• Cut up old cards before you throw them away.
• Open your monthly statements promptly and compare them to your receipts.
• Carry only the cards that you need.
• If you are shopping online, shop on secure websites. One indicator about which websites are safe, and which are not, is the presence of a yellow padlock icon in the browser bar. Another indicator is ‘https’ in the web address.
• Don’t make purchases in free Wi-Fi hotspots, such as a coffee shop, which can put your passwords and other information at risk.
• Use your debit card only at established, well-lit ATMs with security cameras in place.
• Sign up for e-alerts in Online Banking to monitor your balances, transactions or fraudulent attempts to retrieve your personal information by using your Online Banking login

Over-the-Phone Scams

Beware of "solicitation" calls

Scams to steal personal or financial information over the phone are called vishing. During a vishing attack hackers will use caller ID spoofing to conceal the source of the original phone call. The vishing scams may use either a  person or a pre-recorded message to solicit information. The most common vishing scams are:

• Compromised bank or credit account where a consumer is informed that hat his or her credit cards or Debit/ATM card has been flagged for fraudulent activity and needs to be unblocked or that there is an issue with the account or a recent payment. You may be asked for your login credentials to fix the problem or ask to make a new payment. Instead of providing this information, hang up and call your financial institution and their publicly available number.
• Unsolicited loan or investment offers can try to lure you into a quick profit scheme by either promising you can earn millions of dollars on one small investment or pay off your debt with one quick fix. They will urgently ask you to act now and pay a small fee. 
• Medicare scam will have thieves posing as Medicare representatives and try to solicit financial information from the victims such as their Medicare number or bank account details. 
• Social Security scam involves crooks claim to be from the Social Security Administration and threaten to suspend or cancel the victim's Social Security number.
• IRS tax scam typically includes a pre-recorded message telling you there is something wrong with your tax return. You may be asked to call the number back or a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Please click here to see what the IRS officials are allowed or not allowed to do. 
• Fake emergency scam will have someone call you pretending they are a family or close family friend and need money to get out of trouble. 

How to Protect Yourself

• Join the free National Do Not Call registry to stop unwanted sales calls
• Don't answer unfamiliar numbers and let them go to voicemail instead
• Don't press buttons or respond to prompts if you get an automated message
• Be vary of phone calls asking for your personal or financial information
• Call them back. If someone is selling you something or asking for information, tell them you will call them back. Verify the company is legitimate by calling them back using a telephone number from a bill, statement, or other trustworthy source, and not the number they provided during the call.
• Only download apps from reputable sources like App Store, Google Play and Galaxy Store. 
• If your phone has been lost or stolen, take steps to protect your personal information and inform your phone carrier so that they can disconnect your service. 
• It's a good idea to install or enable deactivation methods on your phone in case it is lost or stolen. Here is a list of the most-used services:

    - Apple “Find My - Activation Lock”
    - Verizon Android “Find My Device - Remotely Lock”
    - Samsung “Find My Mobile”
    - T-Mobile Android and iOS “Lookout Mobile Security”
    - Windows 10 “Find My Device”

If You Become a Victim

• Report all vishing calls to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting the agency's website at www.ftc.gov or calling 888.382.1222. The FTC will ask for the number and name that appeared on your caller ID, as well as the time of day and the information discussed or heard in a recorded message.

Identity Theft Protection

• Never include sensitive information in email. 
• Never click on links within an email. It's safer to retype the web address into your browser.
• Don’t open attachments from strangers. 
• Don’t open attachments with odd filename extensions. 
• Watch for fraudulent emails. They often contain bad grammar and spelling. 
• Always log off from websites where you used your login credentials such as username and password.
• Utilize automatic timeout features that prevent others from continuing your online banking sessions in case you leave your computer unattended. 
• Sign up to receive e-Statements and protect yourself from mail fraud.
• Safeguard your Social Security number and PINs for your Debit/ATM or credit cards