Category: Cyber Security

Common Cyber-Security Threats While Traveling

Whether you are traveling for work or pleasure, the last thing you want to battle with is having your cyber-security compromised. If knowledge is power, Peoples Bank & Trust has created a list of potential threats to your private information and steps to prevent damage while away from home.

Before You Go

Along with remembering to pack a toothbrush, you should also prepare your devices for travel. You should ensure all updates are completed. This will make your systems harder for hackers to penetrate as they have all of the necessary guards and protections the device has to offer at the time.

You may consider backing up your information on cloud storage. You would hate to have forever lost important documents and photos. Should your information become compromised, having these copies of your private information will be useful. We would also recommend changing all of your passwords prior to leaving and again when you return. It is also extremely important, especially when traveling abroad, to let Peoples Bank & Trust know where you will be traveling and when.

While You’re There

Unfortunately, you are at a higher risk the more you travel and use the internet abroad. However, this shouldn’t stop you should you use the proper precautions from these threats.

While convenient, public wireless networks are not secure. Nevertheless, if you need to connect, be sure is a legitimate network by verifying the account with employees. However, your mobile connection is going to be more secure. You are going to want to turn off auto-connect for wifi and Bluetooth as well. If you are able, purchase a VPN (Virtual Private Network), so you can have peace of mind while surfing the web. We would recommend staying away from public computers-even the hotel and library. You cannot trust that these are on secure networks, and that Keylogger Malware is not present.

To many people’s dismay, you are being watched in ways like never before. You should get into the habit of guarding yourself at all times. When traveling to fun places, it is tempting to share your location. But waiting to share this information is best, so hackers don’t follow where you are, and maybe even make their way up to your hotel room to take your computer. This is another reason why you might consider eating meals outside the normal hours, as that is when most hotel thefts occur.

You can’t avoid purchase while on the road, but be aware of ATM skimmers, point of sale compromises and hidden cameras. ATM skimmers have been on the news frequently. If you can avoid using this altogether by sticking to credit cards or Apple Pay on the road, it may make the experience easier. Businesses card readers may be compromised or a hidden camera could be tracking your pin input. It’s important to always be aware.

We hope that these tips have informed you to be a cyber-secure traveler. For more information about Peoples Bank & Trust’s anti-fraud services, please stop by!

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

Protecting Yourself While Shopping Online this Holiday Season

As the holidays roll up, customers buying items online increases exponentially. Unfortunately, cyber attacks and identity theft also increase with that number. That’s why the professionals at Peoples Bank & Trust have come up with some helpful tips and tricks to stay safe when shopping online this holiday season!

Don’t Use Unknown Wireless Networks

If you are in a coffee shop or airport and a network pops up for you to connect to, your chance of being hacked skyrockets. When the network you are on is not protected, hackers have a chance to get into your phone and locate passwords, account information, and more. Even though you want to check your email or see if there is a good deal somewhere, try to resist in order to protect yourself.

Use Different Passwords

Yes, it is hard to use a different password for each site when you are connected to 50 or 100 sites. However, if a hacker gets ahold of one password, they can instantly use that password with your email to log into all other sites that have the same one.

Don’t Store Credit Card Info on Sites

When online sites have you enter your credit or debit card information, many of them give you an option to save your card information. They say it’s secure and most of the time it is, but hackers are still able to get into their account and find your information. Even though it’s a little more work to type your information in each time, it’s more work to deal with getting your money back after someone has stolen your information and used it.

Avoid Clicking Links

When shopping online, you may have a million links pop up for the item you’re searching for.. These are easy ways for hackers to bring you to a site they created to give you malware. That’s why it’s important to only click the links on trusted sites.

Shop Secure Sites

As mentioned above, it is okay to trust links within a secure site. However, if you are searching online for a certain gift to give someone and find a list that links to different sites, do not trust those sites. Search online about which sites are credible before you go to them and give them your credit card information.

These tips will aid you in being a security savvy shopper when the holidays begin to hit. If you have any questions or concerns about your account, be sure to contact Peoples Bank & Trust. Our team of professionals is here to help if a problem of stolen information does arise!

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

Cyber Security 101 – Learning the Basics to Keep Yourself Protected

Cyber Security 101 - Learning the Basics to Keep Yourself Protected

Welcome to Cyber Security 101. Grab your pen and paper, it’s time to take some notes about cyber security! Thankfully, there won’t be a test after reading this blog, but not taking these tips into consideration can make a difference between protecting yourself or having your personal information land in the hands of the wrong person.

With so much to think abou

t, you’re probably wondering where you’re supposed to start. Luckily for you, Peoples Bank & Trust is here to school you in all things cyber-security.

Careful Clicking

Between social media, websites, and emails, we’re clicking on things all the time. Sometimes these links can be associated with what’s called “phishing attacks.” This is a tactic used to gather your personal data, like passwords and credit card numbers. Most of the time this type of attack occurs within an email. That’s why it’s critical to verify email addresses from trusted entities you know. Never open documents from these unusual email senders.

Password Protection

Creating complex passwords may seem like a no-brainer but about 35 percent of users have weak passwords and about 65 percent of passwords could be cracked. The goal should be to make it something that’s unrelated to you, so not using your birthday, your dog’s name, etc. We suggest using a password generator, or even making your password a sentence.

We understand you log into numerous accounts daily, and you can’t possibly remember all of these unique passwords. Even though your password list could be three feet long, you should never write them on a sticky note and perch them on your computer screen. Check out password management apps to help you keep all of your passwords in order.

Savvy Shopping

Online shopping continues to grow and is more enticing with offers like free shipping and online exclusive products and sales. With such a shift in purchasing habits, our security habits should also be changing. You sho

uld only be shopping on secure sites, which can be identified by the “https” at the start of the web address. If there’s no “s” the site is not encrypted and your information could not be secure.

Another way to protect yourself is to never give more information than is required. If they don’t ask for your phone number or address, do not provide it. This information could fall into the wrong hands. Always be sure to read their privacy policy so you know where your information is going and how it’s being used.

Staying Up to Date

If you don’t already, now is the perfect time to get an anti-virus or anti-malware software program for your internet accessible devices. These programs work to protect your devices and help you stay ahead of any attempts to break security on your computer.

If you already have a security program in place, make sure you’re updating the software any time an update comes up. These companies are constantly working to fight potential security risks so anytime there’s an update, take the time to make the required updates.

We hope you took some great notes and are ready to tackle all things cyber-security. By taking these few steps you can help protect yourself from a world of trouble and inconvenience. If you have any more questions about cyber-security, contact us today. We’d be happy to answer your questions. Class dismissed!

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

How NOT to Get Hacked

Every day you hear tips and tricks to ensuring the safety behind your personal information. While many of these offers and promotions are advertising a safety service, at Peoples Bank & Trust Co., we believe you can handle the majority of these precautions yourself! See what steps you’ll need to take in order to best prepare for your financial future. We’ll be there to help you every step of the way.

DO: Store your passwords in a secure app like LastPass.

DON’T: Write your passwords on post-its which you keep around your desk.

Remembering your passwords is important, but leaving them unattended for hackers could be dangerous. Ensure you keep your details out of plain site by utilizing secure password storage apps such as LastPass or Dashlane. Not only will this help you forget your passwords less often, but it helps you create more complicated passwords to help keep unwanted hackers at bay.

DO: Use social media to connect with friends and family.

DON’T: Connect with people you don’t know or share personal account information.

Even though social media can be a great way to interact with people you know, many users choose to become connected with individuals they’ve never met. If you find yourself with a friend request from someone you don’t recognize, always decline it, to keep you and your contact safe. If for some reason you’re unsure if you know the individual or not, you can always message them to see how you’re connected instead.

DO: Shop online and find great deals.

DON’T: Use your debit card when shopping online.

Both your debit and credit card can be used online, however, only your credit card offers a zero fraud liability with no strings attached. Should your debit card become compromised you will need to act more swiftly, and you may even have to wait weeks or months before you see any stolen funds returned to your checking or savings account. Always be proactive and use your credit card if you plan to purchase online!

While these three strategies will help to keep your personal information safe, there are always new tips and tricks to learn! Check back on our blog each month to see how you can continue to improve your personal cyber security, courtesy of Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

4 Steps to Safeguard Your Security

Cyber Security

Who knew four little steps could be the difference between keeping your information secure and falling victim to cyber predators. With today’s current cybercrime tactics, you can never be too careful! At Peoples Bank & Trust we want to help ensure you and your finances stay safe, and offer these four strategic steps to boost your personal cyber security.

Safeguard your passwords. Instead of desktop post-it notes, store your passwords somewhere secure like the LastPass app. Not only will apps like this one help you remember which password to use for what, but because they’re all stored in one place, you can continue to make your passwords more complicated to create an added layer of protection.
Do NOT use public wifi when possible. While hot spot coffee shops may offer high-speed wifi to customers, never sign on until you have confirmation from a store employee that the business is genuinely offering the service. Many cyber criminals will prey on locations such as these to gain access to both your devices and your information. We suggest waiting until you’re on your own dedicated wifi to access secure information such as your bank account or credit card portal.
Never give out your personal information. Cyber criminals are getting cleverer each and every year. With many phishing schemes now incorporating the names of your family or distant relatives, these complicated schemes can make it seem essential to share your banking or credit card information. No matter what the occasion or reason, NEVER give out your personal financial information out over the phone or online. Always contact the representative you know, or call the business’s official number to authenticate the request before acting on it.
When purchasing online, always choose credit over debit. Thankfully credit card providers such as VISA and MasterCard offer zero percent fraud liability for their customers. For this reason, it is far safer to make purchases online via your credit card compared to your debit card. While your debit card can certainly be used online, should it become compromised, you could be out of those stolen funds until the proper insurance or reports are filed.

There are always new ways to be proactive when it comes to your personal security. If you have further questions on how to keep your financial information secure, our team is here to help! Give us a call or stop by your nearest Peoples Bank & Trust location to speak with one of our customer service representatives today.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

Avoid These 4 Common Phishing Scams

Phishing as defined by Merriam-Webster is “A scam by which an e-mail user is duped into revealing personal or confidential information which the scammer can use illicitly.” Scams like these happen each and every day, and many times, the victims don’t even realize they’re participating in them. Peoples Bank & Trust wants to help you avoid these common tactics many cyber criminals use to lure you in. If you hear or recognize any of the following prompts, hang up the phone or delete the email immediately before acting on it any further.

Relative who is in need abroad. This scam can be delivered via phone or email, typically with an individual claiming to be a cousin or niece/nephew. This person asks you how you are doing and makes some remarks to indicate a tie to family. In all appearances, they come off as someone you know and care for. The individual contacting you will typically share the news that they have come into some trouble while traveling, and he/she doesn’t have the appropriate funds while vacationing to resolve it. Then, this person will ask if you would be so kind as to wire them some funds to help them through this circumstance, and they will happily pay you back once they return. The best way to confirm this is a scam is call the relative they are claiming to be, or call that person’s parent to see if the story truly checks out. Ninety-nine percent of the time it will not, and then you know that the person contacting you is a fraud. At this point, we recommend reporting them to the police and ceasing all contact.
Foreign lottery winner. This scam is pretty clear cut. Typically via phone, someone will call and claim that you have won a fantastic prize courtesy of the lottery in an overseas country. After the initial surprise has you jumping for joy, the caller informs you that there is a small five percent fee to wire you the funds. If you can quickly transfer them the funds, you will have your money within a given time frame. DO NOT SEND ANY FUNDS OR GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION. Unless you distinctly remember buying a ticket for a lottery in another country, this call is most certainly a scam. Many victims of this example never received any further funds as their winnings, and further lost the money they were conned into sending.
IT help in disguise. This scam has been the downfall of many companies. Done over both phone and email, cybercriminals have found a frightening loophole in many cyber security policies. Generally, this scenario starts with an administrator receiving a call or email from someone who appears to be from their IT department. Incoming phone calls can be masked to have recognizable numbers, and email address can appear to be from a legitimate person with the exception of one changed letter. The person sending the communication will typically identify themselves as someone within the company who has a high access level, and then ask for the verification of various passcodes or other information. Often times, this scam succeeds because employees want to help one another, and don’t always spotlight the source upon receipt. To help prevent this, we suggest that businesses have a rigid identification policy when sharing confidential information via phone or email.
Urgent change to your information. In many situations, the factor of urgency is what makes victims coherent to a stranger. To further push that sense of emergency, the caller in this situation claims that there has been a breach to your financial or lending institution and you need to update your login information immediately. The caller, of course, is willing to update it for you, if you can simply state your current username and password, along with what you would like it updated to. DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY OF THIS INFORMATION. Anytime your bank or other financial institution would like you to reset your password, or make an update to your account, they will ask you to complete it through your online banking portal or by visiting your nearest branch. By no means should you ever need to give out your information by phone to ensure that a username or password is changed.

As you can see, there are numerous situations that could catch anyone. We hope to decrease the likelihood of scams amongst our customers, and offer additional cyber security tips on our website! If you feel you could be more proactive against threats like these, visit our website today and see how you can avoid unfortunate situations such as these.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

Red Flags to Look for on Your Credit Score

Everyone and their brother seems to be sharing the importance of checking your credit score, but once you have the information, how do you actually know what it means? At Peoples Bank & Trust, we want you to not only have the information about your personal finances but be able to understand and act upon it as well. If you see any of the following red flags while viewing your report, you may want to look into the appropriate remedies as quickly as possible.

Missed or Late Payments

Your credit report should accurately showcase your current repayment history, which accounts for approximately 35 percent of your credit score. This area of the report should indicate if any payments have been missed and have been reported to the bureau as late. If you see a payment that you were unaware of, be sure to reach out to the company listed and contact them to pay off the bill in question.

Fraudulent Activity

It is possible to view your credit report and find bills or inquiries that you did not initiate. In this instance, it is important to take the appropriate steps to report identity theft and begin recovering your financial reputation. The sooner you alert the authorities and lending organizations to this unfortunate dilemma, the less likely you are to suffer any long-term side effects.

Excessive New Accounts

While having more than one account open can positively affect your credit score, attempting to open too many in a short time period can cause a negative reaction. If you see more than two accounts opened in the last three months, you may want to wait before attempting to apply for a credit card or other lending option.

Active Collections Accounts

If you haven’t checked your credit score in a few years, any potential missed or late payments may now have spiraled into active collection attempts. In this instance, the best practice is to contact the companies listed and discuss repayment options. Many times if you are actively working to pay down an account receivable, the company will work with you to structure monthly installments that fit within your personal budget.

At Peoples Bank & Trust, we recommend checking your credit score each month. If you’d like more information on how to increase your credit score, stop in today. One of our trusted personal bankers would be happy to answer any questions or curiosities that you have.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

10 Steps to Keep Your Identity Secure

Cyber Security

It may seem like protecting your personal information is just one more thing to add to the to-do list, but being proactive now could save you a mountain of work later. At Peoples Bank & Trust, we believe your identity is the most precious thing you have. To help you keep it safe we offer the following steps to help you keep it as secure as possible.

Check your credit score. By looking at your personal credit report each and every month, you can catch any potential errors as soon as they occur instead of months or years later.
Never give out personal details. Phishing scams can come by phone or by email. Always be sure to use your designated contact at a company and never give out information to someone you don’t know.
Use software like Lifelock for extra support. Lifelock and other similar companies offer a valuable safety net when it comes to your individual identity. Their services can help to supplement the efforts you complete on a monthly or annual basis.
Keep all sensitive or personal information secure in a safety deposit box. Items such as birth certificates, social security cards, and other valuable documentation can be secured in one of our insured safety deposit boxes. At an affordable annual rate, you can be sure all of your documents are always locked and stored away.
If you’re unsure about a phone call, always check its source. If you receive a call and are unsure of the intentions of the caller, we suggest checking the source of the call through White Page’s reverse number
Be on the lookout for tempting clickbait. As you browse across the internet be wary of clickable links that share controversial titles on the side or bottom of the page. These can lead to spam sites which could harm your computer and/or your personal information.
Remember not to click on attachments from senders you don’t know. When you’re viewing your email, be wary of senders you don’t recognize. If the sender doesn’t appear to be a person or brand you know, avoid clicking on any attached links as they may attempt to hack or spam your device.
Use different passwords for different accounts. There are numerous great services like Last Pass which can help you maintain different passwords and usernames for each of your various accounts. This ensures that should one become compromised, hackers are unable to access any other information through like logins.
Always use upper and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers when creating passwords. As you’re creating new passwords and accounts, remember to make your logins as secure as possible to avoid becoming an easy target for potential hackers.
Steer clear of public wifi. While public wifi can sometimes be a blessing for the traveling business person, it can also pose a dangerous opportunity for nearby cyber criminals. Unless you gain the wifi password from an employee of the business, never assume signage or non-password protected portals are safe connections.

At Peoples Bank & Trust we hope you and your information stay safe. If you ever want to enhance your cyber security or identity theft protection, stop in and speak to one of our personal bankers. We offer services such as safety deposit boxes to help keep your important documents secure, and our team is always available to help if you find yourself facing fraudulent activity online.

How to Tell if a Call is a Scam

Cyber Security

Often times, phishing calls can come off as friendly or even helpful, however, in many instances the caller is malicious and intends to compromise your personal information. Peoples Bank & Trust wants to help you avoid situations like these, and offers the following key prompts to help you identify a fraudulent caller. Keep these five points at the top of your mind the next time you’re wary of an unknown caller:

The matter is deemed extremely urgent by the caller. The biggest and clearest red flag is when the individual calling claims that you HAVE to update or adjust something ASAP. The caller will then indicate that they are from an institution you may know, and they need to know your personal information ASAP. DO NOT give out this information. If you think a company you work with may truly need to update an account, call them at the number you have listed and inquire about the presentation the prior caller shared. Nine times out of ten the company will not be aware of any need to update the information and will take note of the fraudulent call being conducted to its customers.

The offer or promotion seems too good to be true. When someone calls claiming that you have won a foreign lottery, been chosen for an all-inclusive cruise, or received some other once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, chances are it’s a scam. On numerous occasions, fraudsters have used this ruse to illicit payment or personal information to “process your winnings.” Unless you specifically remember entering into a sweepstakes for the prize you are being called about, this call is a scam.

The person calling is asking for personal information. Not every time will the caller claim you have won a prize. Sometimes it may be as simple as a person posing as a business contact you work with, asking to verify some information. Whether it’s an insurance company, financial institution, or other entity, always ask if you can call the person back, and call them at the number you have in your records. If this number is different from the one which just called, you may have just avoided a scam.

Reverse lookup the phone number. Sometimes there is just something about a call that gives you a gut feeling that it’s not right. In cases like these, we recommend looking up the number on whitepages.com with their reverse lookup feature. This will not only tell you where the call is coming from, but can also alert you if the number has been flagged as a scam.

With these four tactics, Peoples Bank & Trust hopes you and your personal information can stay safe and secure. If you’re looking for more cyber security tips and tricks, be sure to check our blog. We share a new identity theft related topic each and every month.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

Why Checking Your Credit Score Matters

Personal Finance

Across television ads, online banners, and even chit-chat among relatives, the phrase, “Check your credit score,” seems to be popping up everywhere. If something so important needs constant reminders, why does it have such a key importance in your personal finances? Well, the truth is that it doesn’t, your financial actions do.

A credit score is comprised of five different components which indicate how you as an individual are perceived in terms of repayment and risk. Individuals who pay their bills on time, have been responsibly utilizing loans and credit cards, and who don’t maintain too much debt typically have a higher score. While the score itself is seen by potential lenders as a positive or a negative, the true meaning it portrays is to showcase whether you as an individual are a promising person to repay any funds you are lent. This score can be changed for the better or the worse depending on the actions you take.

This is why checking the report itself can be beneficial for your personal financial reputation. By reviewing your history on a recurring basis you can quickly identify any mistakes or missed payments that need correcting and do so in a timely manner.

For those who do not check their score scenarios like the following could occur:

Say you accept a job in another town, and after moving, you realize you still need to forward your mail. After a week or two in the new place, you go online and make the switch. However, unbeknownst to you, there was one last utility bill that was mailed to your prior address after you moved away. Weeks go by, even months, only now you’re connected with a new utility company, and you have new bills to pay. Behind the scenes, however, your credit score could be declining, because that one last bill has now been reported to collections. Your credit history will now note that a payment has been missed, and the longer it is missed the more it could damage your credit score.

Situations like this happen to many Americans, and while sometimes they can’t be prevented, the damage they cause can be minimized by checking your credit score on a monthly basis. Instead of allowing a payment like this to retain a balance for over 120 days, you can catch it under 90 and minimize any potential negative effect on your score.

This is just one example in how checking your credit score can impact your financial health for the better. Other benefits include fraud prevention, better financial negotiation, and more accurate personal financial records.

Our team at Peoples Bank & Trust would be happy to walk you through the information from this service and is always available to answer any questions you may have.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

Careful Clicking

Password Protection

Savvy Shopping

Staying Up to Date

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