Protecting Yourself from Fraud

You are in the best position to control the information that you choose to release, and thus you are in the best position to protect your personal information. The following safety tips are provided to assist you in protecting yourself from fraud.

Protecting Your:

  • Personal Information
  • Bank Accounts
  • ATM transactions
  • Credit Cards
  • Mobile Devices
  • Personal Computer


Introduction to Identity Theft

http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/alerts/theft.html

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Scam Prevention Tips 

  • Never give personal information to a stranger who contacts you, whether by telephone, e-mail, or other means.
  • Don’t accept payments for more than the amount of the service with the understanding that you send the buyer the difference.
  • Don’t accept checks from individuals you’ve only met online.
  • Don’t accept jobs in which you are paid or received commission for facilitating money transfers through your account.
  • No matter how urgent someone claims a deal is, you can always wait for a few days to research and confirm legitimacy.  Time is on your side, not the fraudster’s
  • You are ultimately responsible and liable for all deposits made into your account, whether they are a check, money order, transfer, etc.

Protecting Your Personal Information 

  • Carry only necessary identification. Do not carry your social security card with you.
  • Take steps to reduce the amount of mail you receive that displays personal information.
  • Be cautious when providing your Social Security Number. It’s okay to ask whether it is needed for the application or transaction.
  • Check your credit report annually at a minimum.
  • Never provide personal information over the phone or internet unless you have initiated the contact and have confirmed the business or person’s identity.
  • Avoid leaving any personal information in your car.
  • Shred unnecessary documents and eliminate as much paper documents that contain your personal information.
  • Take your outgoing mail to the post office rather than using street-side mailboxes

Protecting Your Bank Accounts 

  • Ask us to stop sending your monthly statement through the mail, instead receive and store your bank statements electronically.
  • Use e-Alerts to monitor various types of account activity. This free service can help alert you to fraudulent activity.
  • Use online services (Online Banking, e-Alerts, etc.) to monitor your bank accounts regularly.
  • Receive your paychecks, dividends and other reoccurring deposits directly into your account electronically.
  • Purchase checks from a reputable company that provides security features within the check stock paper.
  • Avoid preprinting personal identifiers on your checks {SSN, DL#, Personal phone numbers, etc.}
  • Store your checks securely and know who has access to them.
  • Report suspicious activity immediately. {lost, stolen or unauthorized use of checks or cards}.
  • Avoid writing down, carrying or sharing your online banking or card PIN [personal identification number] with anyone. Memorize it or secure it at home.
  • Choose passwords or PINs that are difficult for others to guess by not using personal information within the password such as address, phone number, SSN or date of birth, rather use random information.
  • Consider different passwords for each online account.
  • Never “lend” your debit cards to others. You are responsible for transactions initiated from a card that was lent to someone else.

Protecting Yourself at the ATM 

  • Limit time spent at the machine.
  • Protect your PIN and passwords — don't keep them in your wallet.
  • Keep receipts and compare to monthly statement.
  • Treat your ATM card like cash by always protecting it.
  • Be aware of strangers when you enter or exit an ATM site. If you notice anything suspicious or unsafe, report it.
  • Shield the ATM keypad with your hand or body while entering your PIN {Personal Identification Number}
  • Put away your card and cash immediately after completing your transaction.
  • Do not let strangers assist you with a malfunctioning ATM, exit to another ATM for use.
  • Be extra cautious when using an ATM at night.

Protecting Your Credit Cards

  • Sign your card when you receive it.
  • Always take your credit card and your receipt back after every transaction and keep receipts in a secure place until you compare them to your credit card activity statement.
  • Shred paper receipts and statement when you are finished verifying them.
  • Use online services to receive, store and regularly monitor your credit card statements.
  • Avoid writing down, carrying or sharing your credit card PIN [personal identification number] with anyone. Memorize it or secure it at home.
  • Make copies of all credit card information that you carry and secure it at home.
  • Never provide your credit card information over the phone or internet unless you have initiated the contact and have confirmed the business or person’s identity.
  • Never “lend” your credit cards to others. You are responsible for transactions initiated from a card that was lent to someone else.
  • Order your free credit report on an annual basis.
  • For military personnel, see information from the Federal Trade Commission here.

Report suspicious activity immediately 

Protecting Your Mobile Devices

As Technology changes our efforts to assist you in protecting you expand. When you chose to use a mobile device such as your cell phone or blackberry for account access please keep your security in mind.

  • Store your device (phone or blackberry, etc.) in a secure location.
  • Use the keypad lock or phone lock function on your mobile device when it is not in use. These functions password-protect your device so that nobody else can use it or view your information.
  • Delete your browser history regularly.
  • Frequently delete text messages containing your account information (including your account balances).
  • Before letting someone else have access to your device (lending it to another person, discarding, or selling your mobile device) ensure that her personal account information has been deleted.
  • Never disclose via text message any personal information (account numbers, passwords, or any combination of sensitive information like your social security number or birth date that could be used in ID theft).

If you lose your mobile device which has personal information (account numbers, passwords, or any combination of sensitive information stored in it) - notify the State Bank of Odell at (402) 766-3720.

Protecting Your Personal Computer 

  • When conducting online business, make sure your browser's padlock is active. Make sure that this icon is in your browser, not on the page you are viewing.
  • Secure sites have https:// in front of the web address.
  • Don't allow Windows to remember your passwords.
  • Log off completely after banking online.
  • Clear your browser's cache and history after visiting any financial institution's website.

   1. Know the Scams

  • Phishing, Spoofing, Pop-up Fraud – types of online fraud used to obtain personal information.
  • Trojan Horse – Virus that can record your keystrokes. It can live in an attachment or be accessed via a link in the email, website or pop-up window.
  • Counterfeit Websites – URLs that forward you to a fraudulent site. To validate a URL, you can type or cut and paste, the URL into a new web browser window and if it does not take you to a legitimate web site or you get an error message, it was probably just a cover for a fraudulent web site.
  • Domain Spoofing - Domain Spoofing occurs when a fake financial or retail website is set up with the same look and feel of a legitimate website for the purpose of gaining personal information.  To verify a site's authenticity, choose the padlock icon, typically displayed at the bottom of the browser window, to verify you are on a secured page. A legitimate site will show a SSL certificate with the name of the site you're visiting.

   2. Activate a pop-up window blocker.

  • There are free programs available online that will block pop-up windows. Be sure to perform an Internet search for “pop-up blocker” or look at the options provided by major search engines. You will need to confirm that these programs are from legitimate companies before downloading. Once you have installed a pop-up blocker, you should determine if it blocks information that you need to view or access. If this is the case, you should consider turning off the blocker when you are on Web sites you know use pop-windows to provide information you need or want to view.

   3. Scan your computer for spyware regularly.

  • You can eliminate potentially risky pop-up windows by removing any spyware or adware installed on your computer. Spyware and adware are programs that look in on your Web viewing activity and potentially relay information to a disreputable source. Caution: many spyware programs disguise themselves as spyware-removal programs. You may wan to use reputable programs such as Microsoft Malicious Removal Tool and Microsoft Windows Defender. As with a pop-up blocker, you will want to be sure that your removal program is not blocking, or removing, wanted items, and if it is, consider turning it off for some websites.

   4. Avoid downloading programs from unknown sources.

  • Downloads may contain hidden programs that can compromise your computer’s security. Likewise, email attachments from unknown senders may contain harmful viruses.

   5. Keep your computer operating system and Internet browser current.

   6. Keep anti-virus software up-to-date.

  • Anti-virus software needs frequent updates to guard against new viruses. Select a reputable provider. Download the anti-virus updates as soon as you are notified that a new download is available. Some programs will offer an automatic update.

   7. Keep your passwords secret.

  • Change them regularly, using a mixture of numbers and characters.

   8. Question suspicious emails. | report them to us here

  • Do not open emails from senders you do not recognize. The State Bank of Odell will never send you an email asking for your online identification or password/passcode. Also, never open email attachments that have file endings of .exe, .pif, or .vbs. because these are file extensions for executables, and are commonly dangerous files.

Reporting possible theft 

Lost, stolen or suspect fraud on your Visa Check Card - Call us at (402) 766-3720 immediately.  If after bank hours, please call 800-264-5578.  Report any stolen check card or check fraud to the local law enforcement.

If you suspect your ATM or Check Card has been lost or stolen, or if you'd like to report suspicious activity on your account, please see the information below.

Whether you are a consumer or a business please use the following Quick Reference Guide to report any fraud that could potentially affect or that has affected your account with the State Bank of Odell.
 

If you suspect the following:
 

  • Lost or stolen checks, Check fraud or Unauthorized account activity - Call us at (402) 766-3720. Report any stolen checks or check fraud to the local law enforcement.
  • Lost or stolen Visa Check Card - Call us at (402) 766-3720. Report any stolen checks or check fraud to the local law enforcement.
  • Lost or stolen State Bank of Odell Visa or Mastercard Credit Card – Call (800) 883-0131.  You should also report any stolen cards or fraud to local law enforcement.
  • Unauthorized Electronic Transaction - Contact us immediately at (402) 766-3720.
  • Identity Theft - If you believe that your identity has been stolen, please contact us immediately at (402) 766-3720.
  • To dispute information in your credit report, you may contact each of the three major credit bureaus as outlined below:
    • Equifax:  Report Fraud - (800) 525-6285
    • Experian:  Report Fraud – Report Fraud - (888) 397-3742
    • TransUnion:  Report Fraud - (800) 680-7289