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**Important Reminder**
Midstates Bank will never
call and ask for account information over the phone.
Under no circumstances should you give out your social security
number, account numbers or PIN's to anyone via e-mail or over
the phone.
Please
advise our staff if you receive any phone calls, or emails requesting
such information
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Don't Get Hooked By
A Phishing Scam
Phishing (pronounced "fishing") refers to
fraudulent communications designed to deceive consumers into divulging
personal, financial, or account information, including account user name
and password, credit card information, and social security number.
These spoofed e-mails often create a false sense of urgency intended to
provoke the recipient to take immediate action; for example, phishing
e-mails frequently instruct recipients to "validate" or "update" account
information or face cancellation of services. DO NOT use the
contact information provided over the phone or in an e-mail you have
received!
Always report "phishing" or "spoofed"
e-mails by forwarding the e-mail to the following groups:
We encourage you to contact a computer
specialist or visit a computer store to ask what measure you can take to
ensure your computer system is updated with the latest defenses against
these scams.
7 Golden Rules for
Fighting Identity Theft
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Never use someone else's computer to access any of your accounts
that are set-up to require passwords or logins.
-
Change your passwords regularly and make sure that you select
unique ones. We change our clocks twice a year and this is
a good time to remember to change your password and update
computer protection. Make sure you do not write down
passwords.
-
Under no circumstances should you give out your social security
number, account numbers or PIN's to anyone via e-mail or over
the phone.
-
Don't allow yourself to be phished. A publisher
impersonates a legitimate company with an official looking
e-mail. You are requested, with urgency, to go to a
special site to update your account information.
Never respond to such emails!
-
Remove mail promptly from your mailbox. Never use your
mailbox for outgoing mail. Identity thieves raid mailboxes
for credit card offers and statements.
-
Always shred old files, expired credit cards, unsolicited credit
card applications, unused checks and deposit slips since these
items all contain important personal information that thieves
could use.
-
Never set up your computer system to remember your password.
This feature although helpful, allows entry into your system.
Protecting Yourself
from Cashier Check Fraud
What Every Bank Customer Should Know
Consumers who sell items through online
auctions or classified ads should be on the lookout for scam artists who
pay with counterfeit cashier's checks. The scam takes many forms,
but generally involves an offer for an item, apartment or service for
sale from a person the victim doesn't know (often from another country).
The scam artist sends a high-quality, but counterfeit, cashier's check
as payment, which the victim presents to their bank. Due to the
sophistication of these forgeries, they are difficult to discover before
the bank makes the funds available to the victim. In another
common scenario, the scam artist sends a bogus check for an amount
greater than the purchase price. The scam artist offers what seems
like a reasonable explanation for the overpayment and asks the victim to
wire back the difference. Again, this all takes place before the
forgery can be detected.
Protect Yourself:
-
Understand that although the bank may allow you to withdraw money from a
cashier's check, that doesn't necessarily mean the check has cleared.
-
Remember: you are responsible for the funds until your bank has received
the proceeds from the institution where the check originated
-
Be
cautious of transactions with strangers who pay with cashier's checks
-
Avoid
any situation where someone pays more than the purchase price of an item
and demands that the extra money be returned. Ask for a new check
in the correct amount
-
Be
suspect of any cashier's check that just shows up in the mail,
especially if it has a "congratulations" letter attached
-
Hold any
funds provided by cashier's check from someone you don't know for at
least 30 to 45 days to ensure that funds are valid.
Experts say to
guard against identity theft by checking your credit once a year
You can
obtain a free credit report once a year from each of the credit
reporting agencies - Experian, Equifax and Trans Union
Online at:
www.annualcreditreport.com
Toll Free at: 1-877-322-8228
If you have any questions, please contact us. We will be happy
to help.
Changes to Savings Bonds to Mask
Information
Beginning August 1st, taxpayer
identification numbers (which include Social Security numbers and
employer identification numbers) started being partially masked on paper
savings and retirement securities inscribed and mailed by the Federal
Reserve or savings bond consignment issuing agents, according to the
Federal Reserve Financial Services (FRFS). The intent of this
action is to help protect investor privacy and guard against identity
theft.
According to the FRFS, the first five
difits of the TIN will be replaced by asterisks. Types of
securities affected by the rule change include Series E, EE, H, HH and I
Savings Bonds, Individual Retirement Bonds and Retirement Plan Bonds.
Please note that TINs will continue to be shown in full where
currently required on forms and reports, including all paper bond
purchase applications and orders.
For more information about this
development, please visit the Federal Reserve Financial Services'
"Savings Bonds" section of their website at
http://www.frbservices.org/Treasury/SavingsBonds.html |
