Recent Fraud Notices
Mobile Deposit Capture Scams
Banks across the country are reporting that customers are falling for a new form of fraud known as a mule scam. Customers are recruited through Facebook, social media, or other forms of contact through what appear to be work-at-home jobs, low-rate loan offers, or other opportunities where the customer is lured as a money transfer agent. The customer is told they will receive deposits into their account with instructions on withdrawing the funds and forwarding money or gift cards to a designated contact person. The customer is told they will receive a percentage of the proceeds as commission.
The customer is next instructed to provide online/mobile banking usernames and passwords to the contact person. The action will allow the fraudster to log in to the accounts to access mobile check deposit services to deposit their checks. The checks are then returned after the holds expire and the customer has already removed the funds.
Drummond Community Bank as always takes great strides to prevent schemes such as these but all customers should be aware that fraudsters come up with new schemes each and every day. If it does not feel right, odds are it isn’t! If it sounds too good to be true, it is! Please alert us to any such potential scams that you may feel are being perpetrated by contacting us and the local police department with as many details as possible. Thank you and stay alert!
How to Protect Yourself
User ID and Password Guidelines
Create a "strong" passphrase rather than complex, hard to remember passwords. ex. [email protected] (my dog has fleas)
Change your passphrase frequently.
Never share username and passphrase information with third-party providers (Drummond Community Bank will never ask for your passphrase).
Avoid using an automatic login feature that saves usernames and passphrases.
General Guidelines
Do not use public or other unsecured computers for logging into Online Banking.
Review account balances and transaction details regularly to confirm payment and other transaction data and immediately report any suspicious transactions to a Drummond Community Bank representative.
View transfer history available through viewing account activity information.
Take advantage of and regularly view system alerts.
Do not use account numbers, your social security number, or other account or personal information when creating account nicknames or other titles.
Review historical reporting features of your online banking application on a regular basis to confirm payment and other transaction data.
Never leave a computer unattended while using Online Banking.
Tips to Avoid Phishing, Spyware and Malware
Do not open email from unknown sources. Be suspicious of emails purporting to be from financial institutions, government departments, or other agencies requesting account information, account verification, or banking access credentials like passwords or PINs. Opening file attachments or clicking on web links in suspicious emails could expose your system to a malicious code that could hijack your computer.
Never respond to a suspicious email or click on any hyperlink embedded in a suspicious email. Call the purported source if you are unsure who sent the email.
Tips to Protect Your Debit Card
SHOP ON LEGITIMATE WEBSITES – Scammers can create legitimate-looking ads designed to draw you in. Rather than clicking on links in emails or ads on web pages or social media, type the web address directly into your browser bar or use a search engine if you’re not sure of the web address.
MAKE SURE ONLINE SHOPPING IS SECURE – Look for “https://” or the lock icon in the browser bar. If the “s” isn’t in a legitimate website address or the lock icon isn’t present, your information may not be encrypted and may be vulnerable.
DON’T SHOP ON WiFi HOTSPOTS – Free WiFi at coffee shops, airports, hospitals, etc are easy targets for hackers to monitor and steal your private information. Instead, use your secure internet network at home to make purchases.
BE CAREFUL IN STORES AND AT GAS PUMPS – Keep your card in a secure place when shopping, not in your pocket where it could fall out. Check for card skimmers at gas pumps and if all clear, choose to run the transaction as a credit transaction rather than debit, which helps keep your PIN safe.
USE OUR eBANKING SERVICES – Whether you prefer Online, Mobile, Text or Telephone Banking, you have 24/7 access to your balance and recent transactions. Notify us of any unauthorized activity right away! You can also set up Card Alerts and Controls through our Mobile Banking or text/email Activity and Balance Alerts inside Online Banking.
Tips for Internet Usage
Install the latest commercially available anti-virus and spyware detection software on all computer systems. Free software may not provide protection against the latest threats compared with an industry-standard product.
Update all of your computers regularly with the latest versions and patches of both anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
Ensure computers are patched regularly, particularly operating systems and key applications with security patches.
Install a dedicated hardware firewall, especially if using a broadband or dedicated connection to the Internet, such as DSL or cable. A firewall limits the potential for unauthorized access to your network and computers. The typical wireless router purchased at Best Buy has a basic firewall built-in.
Clear the browser history before starting an online banking session in order to eliminate copies of Web pages that have been stored on the hard drive. How the history is cleared depends on the browser and version you are using. This function is generally found in the browser's preferences menu.