The holiday season is often thought to be the happiest time of the year. Unfortunately, during the holidays, many criminals see the hustle and bustle of the season as an opportunity to trick you into unknowingly providing your bank account information and/or personal data. Don’t let them steal your hard-earned money!
To ensure you don’t let bad actors ruin your holiday fun, First Bank is providing six tips to keep in mind this season:
First Bank wants to keep you and your account information safe. Unfortunately, there are fraudulent scams to be aware of at all times.
One emerging cybercrime, known as “virtual kidnapping”, is gaining popularity and sophistication. In this unfortunate scenario, bad actor(s) misuse social channels to gain information and an unsuspecting family member receives a threatening phone call that a child or loved one has been kidnapped. During the call, the kidnapper demands that he or she immediately pay a hefty ransom, or the person who has allegedly been kidnapped will be harmed.
Often, this cybercrime is done in a manner that not only evokes fear, but also urgency. The criminals may even mimic a voice in the background that sounds like the loved one is speaking in a troubled manner or crying. The scammer tries to keep him or her on the cell phone until they get the ransom money, making it difficult to hang up and determine if the loved one is in real danger. Stay one step ahead of the bad actors and read, “Virtual Kidnapping: How AI Cloning Tools and ChatGPT Are Being Used to Aid Cybercrime and Extortion Scams.”
If you suspect you’ve been a victim, alert your bank immediately, notify your credit card companies, and contact local law enforcement.
Emerging cybercrimes and scams are becoming more sophisticated, evolving, and ever growing. As always, stay alert, informed of rising threats, and always watch for fraudsters both online and in person. Stay safe.
To ensure you don’t let bad actors ruin your holiday fun, First Bank is providing six tips to keep in mind this season:
- Stay alert. Don’t click on suspicious links or text messages. Watch for misspelled words, unusual email addresses, and unrecognizable phone numbers. Always stay alert and monitor your bank account(s) and other financial information regularly for unauthorized purchases or activity.
- Make purchases and donations only on reputable websites. Be careful what you click on. Only make online purchases or donations on reputable sites and retailers. When in doubt, visit the organization or retailer’s website by typing it into your browser. Look for “https://” before the URL and a small padlock to indicate you are on a secure site.
- Be wary of payment app scams. If you receive messages for unsolicited prize winnings or an unknown organization asks you to send money via a payment app, you can be certain it’s a scam. Also, watch for “accidental overpayment claims,” indicating you were falsely overpaid and must refund the money as soon as possible.
- Proceed cautiously with emails, phone calls, and text messages that aim to scare or threaten you to act immediately. Unfortunately, criminals will stop at nothing and will use unscrupulous tactics, including fear and urgency. Criminals use phishing emails, phone calls from unknown numbers or mimicked caller IDs, and text messages to scare you with urgent warnings or messages. Always stop and consider if you should provide your personal or financial information to the person or organization. When in doubt, call your bank, the organization in question, or the financial services provider to validate the communication you received.
- Ask Yourself, “Would my bank ask that?” Know that First Bank will never email or call you and ask you to provide personal information, such as your social security number, account number, PIN number, or birthdate. If you choose to open an account online, however, through our secure, online portal, you will be asked to provide personal information. Learn more by reading cybersecurity content and scam security tips provided by the American Bankers Association.
- Stay informed. First Bank wants to keep you and your information safe. Stay informed of emerging threats and visit First Bank’s Security Hub often.
First Bank wants to keep you and your account information safe. Unfortunately, there are fraudulent scams to be aware of at all times.
One emerging cybercrime, known as “virtual kidnapping”, is gaining popularity and sophistication. In this unfortunate scenario, bad actor(s) misuse social channels to gain information and an unsuspecting family member receives a threatening phone call that a child or loved one has been kidnapped. During the call, the kidnapper demands that he or she immediately pay a hefty ransom, or the person who has allegedly been kidnapped will be harmed.
Often, this cybercrime is done in a manner that not only evokes fear, but also urgency. The criminals may even mimic a voice in the background that sounds like the loved one is speaking in a troubled manner or crying. The scammer tries to keep him or her on the cell phone until they get the ransom money, making it difficult to hang up and determine if the loved one is in real danger. Stay one step ahead of the bad actors and read, “Virtual Kidnapping: How AI Cloning Tools and ChatGPT Are Being Used to Aid Cybercrime and Extortion Scams.”
If you suspect you’ve been a victim, alert your bank immediately, notify your credit card companies, and contact local law enforcement.
Emerging cybercrimes and scams are becoming more sophisticated, evolving, and ever growing. As always, stay alert, informed of rising threats, and always watch for fraudsters both online and in person. Stay safe.