Bay Port State Bank

Security and Fraud Information

Protect your Identity and Accounts

Bay Port State Bank takes our responsibility to protect your financial assets and safeguard the confidentiality of your personal information very seriously.  Please be assured that Bay Port State Bank’s systems and websites have not been affected and customers’ financial data is secure.

Never, ever give out personal or account information (unless initiated by you).  Below outlines some of the common frauds and scams used to defraud you of money and/or identity.

‘Phishing’ via Email and Internet

Attempts are made by unknown criminals to solicit information by email in an effort to illegally obtain personal data.  The email address and the website address may appear almost identical to those of legitimate financial institutions and other companies.  These websites are fraudulent!

The phony emails, popups, or websites ask for confidential information such as social security number, date of birth, credit, ATM or debit card number and related personal identification number (PIN).  The intent of these fakes websites is to obtain information illegally to access consumer accounts and/or commit identity theft. 

Internet Banking Threats

Remote Access Trojans (RATs) are emerging.  RATs are malicious computer programs that are hidden on internet sites, in electronic greeting cards, or in file-sharing programs downloaded through the internet.  Once a RAT is downloaded to an individual’s computer hard drive, the program will lay dormant until the unsuspecting individual visits an internet banking website.  When the RAT identifies the online banking website frequented by the customer, the RAT program will send this information to a hacker.  The hacker will create a fake internet banking login page which will appear to be identical to the login page the individual is accustomed to.  When an individual logs on to the “fake” login page, he/she will be routed to a second fraudulent page that asks for sensitive personal information.  If the information is provided, the fraudster can steal your identity and now knows your internet banking log-on ID.

Phone Calls

Individuals receive fraudulent phone calls that use several different scams in an attempt to obtain personal information or payments.  The callers are very good at convincing you they are from your bank and can easily persuade individuals into giving them personal or bank information.  The most common scams include:

·        The caller may ask to verify some information they have in an attempt to gain further personal or bank information.

·        The caller may indicate that they have your bank or personal information and for a fee can keep it from being shared.

·        The caller may offer to remove your personal or bank information from the internet for a fee.

BE AWARE OF OTHER FRAUDULENT SCHEMES

International Lottery Scams

Scam operators are using the telephone, direct mail, and email to entice U.S. consumers to buy chances in high-stakes foreign lotteries from as far away as Canada, Africa, Australia and Europe.  These lottery solicitations violate U.S. law and cost consumers about $120 million a year in losses.

The FTC has these words of caution for consumers who are thinking about responding to a foreign lottery.

·        If you play a foreign lottery-through the mail or over the telephone-you’re violating federal law.

·        There are no secret systems for winning foreign lotteries.  Your chances of winning more then the cost of your tickets are slim to none.

·        If you purchase one foreign lottery ticket, expect many more bogus offers for lottery or investment opportunities.  Your name will be placed on “sucker lists” that fraudulent telemarketers buy and sell.

·        Keep your credit card and bank account numbers to yourself.  Scam artists often ask for them during an unsolicited sales pitch.

The “Nigerian” Scam

Claiming to be Nigerian officials, businesspeople or the surviving spouses of former government honchos, con artists offer to transfer millions of dollars into your bank account in exchange for a small fee.  If you respond to the initial offer, you may receiver “official looking” documents.  Typically, you’re then asked to provide blank letterhead and your bank account numbers, as well as some money to cover transaction and transfer costs and attorney’s fees.

If you’re tempted to respond to an offer, the FTC suggests you stop and ask yourself two important questions:  Why would a perfect stranger pick you – also a perfect stranger – to share a fortune with, and why would you share your personal or business information, including your bank account numbers or your company letterhead, with someone you don’t know?

More information about Nigerian Advance-Fee Loan scams is available from the Department of Justice, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Department of State or www.state.gov/www/regions/africa/naffpub.pdf.  If you receive an offer via email from someone claiming to need your help getting money out of Nigeria – or any other country, for that matter – forward it to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.

Selling items on the Internet

Consumers are falling victim to an insidious cashier’s check scam that preys on individuals selling items via classified ads or the Internet.  After negotiating the sale, the buyer provides you with a cashiers check for more then the sale price (with various reasons given) and asks you to send the difference back to them via wire transfer, cable, cashier check, or money order.  By the time you find out the check you received is counterfeit, the money you sent is gone.  Fortunately, most of the time the perpetrator doesn’t want the item being sold, however, in the case of collectibles or large ticket items the consumer may have lost the item as well.

Be an Agent – Earn big money

These emails promise large fees for arranging or making payments for overseas businesses.  Payments are forwarded to you for deposit.  You keep a percent and send the rest to the fraudster.  By the time the checks you deposited to your account are returned as counterfeit, your money is already in the fraudster’s hands.

What to do if you receive a suspicious email or phone call

Bay Port State Bank would never email you a request for sensitive personal information.  If you receive an email from Bay Port State Bank that looks suspicious to you, please copy the header, forward it to us at ibbpsb@bayportstatebank.com and delete it from your computer.  Then, please call us at 1-877-656-2231 to report the incident.  Bay Port State Bank will work aggressively with law enforcement agencies to investigate these incidents should they occur.

You should also report these incidents to the FTC by completing a complaint form at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) at http://ifccfbi.gov/index.asp or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.  The Anti-Phishing Working Group (http://www.antiphishing.org/) also has information and resources to help fight Phishing.

How You Can Protect Your Personal Information

Identity theft is a growing crime in our country.  Each day, about 1,500 people become victims of identity theft.  Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information and uses it to establish credit, charge items or borrow money using your name.  Here are some things you can do to protect yourself.

·        Don’t give out financial information such as checking account and credit card numbers-and especially your Social Security number on the phone unless you initiate the call and know the person or organization you’re dealing with.  Don’t give theat information to any stranger, even one claiming to be from a bank or government agency.

·        Never give out your personal identification number (PIN) for your credit, debit or ATM card.  Don’t write on or keep your PINs with your cards.  You should also guard your ATM and credit card receipts.  Thieves can use them to access your accounts.

·        Be suspicious of anyone who calls or emails you seeking personal information.

·        When you need to provide a social security number or other confidential information (for opening of a bank account or to provide medical information, for example), always know whom you are providing this information to and why it is being requested.  Be sure that you are dealing with legitimate companies and their employees.

·        Always use strong passwords and personal identification numbers.  Don’t use birth dates, part of your Social Security Number or driver’s license number, address, or children’s or spouse’s names.

·        Don’t pre-print your driver’s license, telephone or Social Security numbers on your checks. 

·        Review bank statements for accuracy as soon as you receive them.  If you have internet banking or on-line services, check your bank and credit card statement at least weekly.

·        Report lost or stolen checks immediately.  Bay Port State Bank will block payment on the check numbers involved.

·        Store cancelled checks-and new checks- in a safe place.  Also review new checks to make sure none has been stolen in transit.

·        Only shop at reputable and reliable Internet sites.  Make sure the internet site is secure.  Your can verify that a site is secure by looking for a padlock icom in the address line, an “s” after the http in the website address (httpsJ, or checking the properties of the website to verify the URL address is the same.

·        If you receive financial solicitations that you’re not interested in, shred or tear them up before throwing them away so thieves can’t use them to assume your identity.  Destroy any other financial documents, such as bank statements or invoices, before disposing of them.

·        Don’t put outgoing mail in or on your mailbox.  Drop it into a secure, official Postal Service collection box.  Thieves may use your mail to steal your identity.

·        If regular bills fail to reach you, call the company to find out why.  Someone may have filed a change-of-address notice to divert your information to his or her address.

·        Periodically contact the major credit reporting companies to review your file and make certain the information is correct.  The three major credit bureaus are:

o       Equifax 1-800-525-6285

o       Experian 1-888-397-3742

o       TransUnion 1-800-680-7289

Note:  You can now receive a free credit report annually.  Go to this website:  https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp to request yours today.

More Information

To learn more on identity theft and Internet fraud, check out the following brochures and information:

·        Elder Abuse/Financial Exploitation

·        “How Not to Get Hooked by the ‘Phishing’ Scam,” http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/phishingalrt.htm

·        FTC, “ID Theft:  When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name,” http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm

·        http://wwwtreas.gov/press/releases/js1130.htm

·        http://www.occ.gov/consumer/phishing.htm

·        The Anti-Phishing Working Group (http://www.antiphishing.org/)

·        US Department of Treasury Identity Theft Resource Page

·        FTC and other US Agencies On Guard

·        One-Stop National Identity Theft Website

·        FDIC: Don’t be an on-line Victim

Reporting Internet crimes:

http://www.ic3.gov/

www.consumer.gov/idtheft

http://www.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp or call 1-877-IDTHEFT