Tag Archives: online

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Digital Deception: How to Identify and Avoid Online Banking Scams

Staying Safe Online

In the digital age, banking has never been more convenient. But with this convenience comes a new wave of cyber threats that can catch even the savviest of us off guard. Online banking scams are on the rise, and it’s crucial to stay one step ahead. Let’s dive into the murky waters of digital deception and learn how to keep your finances secure.

The Latest Online Banking Scams 

Scammers are constantly finding new ways to trick us. Here are some of the latest and most common tactics we’ve seen:

  1. Investment Scams: These scams top the list with reported losses in the billions, where fraudsters lure victims with promises of high returns on investments.
  2. Impersonation Scams: Scammers impersonate business or government officials to steal money or personal information, often using intimidation tactics.
  3. Payment Method Scams: Fraudsters prefer bank transfers and cryptocurrency for scam payments, leading to significant losses for victims. They will even use peer-to-peer payment apps like Zelle.
  4. Social Media Scams: A large portion of scams originate on social media platforms, with scammers using fake profiles or ads to deceive users. In fact, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) 2022 Online Scams Report found that many people commonly found themselves the victims of a scam after trying to buy a puppy online. This was due to scammers purchasing ads for their fake e-commerce websites for social media. Around 44% of social media scams from January to June of 2023 were connected to online shopping.
  5. AI-Powered Scams: Artificial intelligence is being used to create convincing phishing messages and deepfakes, making scams more believable.
  6. Student Loan Forgiveness Scams: Scammers exploit the confusion around student loan forgiveness programs to trick victims into paying fake fees or sharing personal information.
  7. Phone Scams: Including robocalls and impersonators, phone scams use smartphones’ capabilities to install malware or extract personal data.
  8. Job Scams: Offering fake employment opportunities, scammers may ask for personal information or payment to “secure” a job.
  9. Money-Making Opportunity Scams: Victims are enticed with the prospect of easy money, only to find themselves defrauded.
  10. Prize and Grant Scams: Scammers promise fake prizes or grants, requesting payment or personal details to claim the supposed reward.

Recognizing the Red Flags 

So, how can you spot these scams? Here are some telltale signs:

  • Urgency: Scammers often create a sense of urgency, pressuring you to act quickly.
  • Unsolicited contact: Be wary of unexpected calls, emails, or texts asking for personal information.
  • Suspicious links: Hover over links to see where they really lead before clicking.
  • Requests for sensitive information: Your bank will never ask for your password or PIN via email or text.

Avoiding the Traps 

Here are some practical steps to protect yourself:

  • Secure your devices: Use reputable antivirus software and keep it updated.
  • Be skeptical: If something feels off, trust your instincts and verify through official channels.
  • Strong passwords: Create complex passwords and change them regularly.
  • Monitor your accounts: Regularly check your bank statements for any unauthorized transactions.

We’re Your Shield Against Scams 

At Peoples Bank and Trust, we’re committed to your financial safety. Our security measures and vigilant fraud monitoring are like a digital fortress around your finances. We’re here to educate and empower you, so you can bank online with confidence. Remember, if you ever have doubts about the legitimacy of a communication, reach out to us directly. Your peace of mind is our top priority.

Stay informed, stay skeptical, and stay safe. With the right knowledge and tools, you can protect yourself from the digital deceivers looking to disrupt your financial harmony.

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

 

4 Ways to Keep Your Information Safe While Using Apps

Cybersecurity

Did you know that people check their phones over 150 times each day? Unsurprisingly users spend the majority of their time in apps. Although it’s addicting, it can cause potential problems. To help you stay safe on your mobile device, Peoples Bank & Trust Co. offers these four tips to keep your information secure:

Don’t use personal information in your username. This common mistake can be a red flag for hackers looking to access your information. Usernames with this type of format often lead online predators to accessing your account and spamming your contacts. Avoid this dilemma by creating a monotonous username that doesn’t include your name, location, family, or pets.

When starting a new app, don’t allow it connect to Facebook. In the unfortunate event of your Facebook account becoming compromised, you then also have every app attached to it compromised. To combat this risk, make an individual account for each app.

Never share your personal information with other users. Often times, apps offer their own in-house messaging service for users to communicate with each other. If you’re talking with another user, or booking a service, never give your personal information such as a credit card or social security number. If the app is authentic, they should have a separate portal for any transactions that does not need to be facilitated through a messenger.

Sign-out and close the app after use. Once you’re finished with the app you’re using, be sure to close it entirely. While many users simply switch to other screen views, completely closing out of it eliminates the risk of background tasks going on while you’re unaware. Although this is not a common occurrence, it does offer an additional safety measure to continually safeguard your information.

Enjoy the latest apps and innovations your smartphone has to offer while keeping your information secure. If you’d like to learn more about cyber security, be sure to check our blog for monthly security articles!

 

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

National Cyber Security Awareness Month

Security

Did you know unsecure Wi-Fi and passwords could leave your personal information vulnerable? This October be sure to double check your online security with these helpful tips courtesy of Peoples Bank & Trust!

  • Keep your personal and business computers safe by installing and monitoring an active malware and spyware program.
  • If your family all uses shared devices or Wi-Fi, set ground rules for appropriate online behavior. Show your children how to steer clear of weary links, and set-up parental locks to help keep them safe from known predatory sites.
  • For those accounts containing your most valuable information, be sure to change your password every month, using 13 or more characters, uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Phrases work great for this! Instead of using I love puppies – you could try iL0vEPupp!Es as the password.
  • Monitor your Online Banking and credit card statements. If something seems out of the ordinary, chances are it probably is. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact your financial representative as soon as possible.
  • Keep all your important documents off the grid. Items such as birth certificates, social security cards, or home deeds need to be kept where no one but you can access them. You can store them at home in a fireproof vault, or keep them within one of our secure safety deposit boxes.

The annual cost of Cybercrime in the United States is rising. Currently over $100 Billion dollars, this an epidemic that creates issues for millions of Americans each and every year. Protect your family’s finances by taking a proactive approach to your cyber security today!

Our trusted team at Peoples Bank & Trust is here to help secure your personal information. If you’d like to learn more about how to can safeguard your identity and finances, head to our website!

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

What to do if You’ve Shopped at a Breached Store

Identity Theft

If you shop at national companies such as Home Depot, Target, or Ebay, you may have been the victim of a data breach in the past several years. With an increasing risk of customer data infiltration, many consumers have had to navigate the tricky route to re-establishing their finances. At Peoples Bank & Trust, we want show you the simple steps to help get you back on track once your personal information has been in jeopardy.

  1. Check the affected account.

Asses the damages, if any, to your credit or debit card. If any transactions aren’t in line with your spending, alert your bank or financial institution immediately to counteract any false usage. The sooner you communicate any false usage, the easier it is to get it removed.

 

  1. Cancel the card and request a replacement.

 Once a financial institution is made aware of a store breach they will typically alert any affected customers. However, to err on the side of safety, always call your bank or credit lender to ensure that you will be receiving a new card.

  1. Pull your credit report.

Once you have put out any fires on your affected credit or debit card, you can pull your full credit report to determine if any additional financial information was affected. Your credit report will reveal how many inquiries have been made, in addition to any outstanding payments that may be affecting your score. If something is not accurate with your report, contact each three credit bureau’s to report the fraud. Then file a police report, and call the designated creditors to alert them as well.

  1. Update recurring payments with new information.

Between utility bills, cell phone plans, and online subscriptions, there are plenty of accounts that will need your new card information. Once you receive your new credit or debit card be sure to update any recurring expenses.

accounts that will need your new card information. Once you receive your new credit or debit card be sure to update any recurring expenses.

  1. Continually monitor your accounts.

Keep tabs on your affected and non-affected accounts to be certain nothing else was tampered with during the breach. If you see something out of place, alert your bank or financial institution immediately.

No matter your financial state, Peoples Bank & Trust is here to help you succeed. If you want to learn how you can personally protect your personal finances, check out our blog!

Top Phishing Scams to Watch-out for

cyber security

Phishing is a common term for the unfortunate schemes hackers and online criminals use to lure users into giving their personal information. Typically disguised as familiar online activity, these scam artists have cleverly found several distinctive ways to attempt to trick YOU into handing over your private details. Be on the lookout for these common phishing scams next time you’re roaming the web!

  1. Foreign Lottery Scam

With this tactic you generally receive an email informing you that you have just won the lottery of some far-away land! To obtain these exorbitant funds you simply have to send a small fee to cover the transfer cost. A simple google search will show that this thrilling lottery is no more than phony website with a long distance phone number. Typically if the sending address doesn’t look familiar, or if you have not applied to any foreign lotteries, it will be a dead giveaway that this email is just an attempt to get your money and your information.

  1. Survey Scam

Do you like supporting the humane society or other animal organizations? This scam takes advantage of your online history and sends you a survey to submit your opinion on issues that matter to you. Instead of using your responses on animal treatment, this system discovers your email address, and other relative personal information, to hack your account and send out further spam emails.

  1. Online Banking Scam

Most phishing schemes disguise themselves as something familiar, often even PayPal or your personal bank. This particular scam typically indicates that some type of immediate action is needed, and your account is at risk. Before sending any type of reply communication check the source of the email, and call your personal contact at the organization to see if the email is legitimate. If you question the validity of any portion of the email, delete it and call the company this con artist is attempting to masquerade as ASAP.

  1. Clickbait

Social media has a hacking arena all its own. With links scattered across newsfeeds, it’s often hard to determine what is genuine and what is clickbait. Clickbait is a link generated to provoke common controversial issues to get you to click on it. Once clicked, the link may switch to a Facebook login, where you login again. Unfortunately this false login page is a common maneuver by cyber criminals for you to share to valuable social media login. Having this information, online criminals can now access your account and spam the people you are connected with.

If you think you’ve been a victim of an online phishing scam and your personal banking information has been compromised, call Peoples Bank & Trust so we can help you watch for signs of identity theft on your bank accounts.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Equal Housing Lender

Member FDIC