ID Theft Protection

Identity theft is any crime that involves someone wrongfully obtaining and using another person’s personal data in a fraudulent manner, usually to steal money, open new credit cards, apply for loans, rent apartments and commit other crimes—all using your identity. The identities of roughly nine million Americans are stolen each year. Below are resources and information to help educate clients to see the signs before it happens. Also, you can enroll in Deluxe ID Theft and Fraud Protection Plan as an extra layer of protection. If you do become a victim of identity left, please use this contact list to report.

Working to Prevent Financial Exploitation

First Bank is thrilled to announce that we are one of the banks that AARP has recognized with the BankSafe Trained Seal for the steps we have taken to help stop financial exploitation. Click here to learn more.

No Love for Romance Scammers

As your social media and mailboxes fill up with New Year’s greetings, you might see some unfamiliar names. Are the messages from long-lost friends or romance scammers trying to get close? Click here for some things to watch for.

Tips to Help Protect You and Your Money

Scammers are constantly trying to steal your money and your personal information, and they use a variety of ways to try to trick you. Scammers often pretend to be from an organization you might know and trust (such as an FDIC-insured bank) and try to get your personal information. FDIC can help you verify whether a website is a fake bank website or the legitimate website of an FDIC-insured bank. Click here to read more from the FDIC.

Stop. Call. Verify.

Business email compromise (BEC)—also known as email account compromise (EAC)—is one of the most financially damaging online crimes. It exploits the fact that so many of us rely on email to conduct business—both personal and professional. Criminals send an email message that appears to come from a known source making a legitimate request, like in these examples:

• A vendor your company regularly deals with sends an invoice with an updated mailing address.
• A company CEO asks her assistant to purchase dozens of gift cards to send out to employees.

Here are a few ways to protect yourself:

• Verify payment and purchase requests in person or by calling a verified phone number.
• Do not call a phone number included within an email without verifying if it's legitimate.
• Be especially wary if the requestor is pressing you to act quickly.
• Carefully examine the email address, URL, and spelling used in any correspondence.
• Be careful with what information you share online or on social media.

How to report:

• Contact your financial institution immediately and request that they contact the financial institution where
  the transfer was sent.
• Next, contact your local FBI field office to report the crime and file a complaint with the Internet Crime
  Complaint Center (IC3).

Click here to read the full article

Mail Fraud Prevention

Mail theft-related check fraud generally pertains to checks stolen from the U.S. Mail. Fraud, including check fraud, is the LARGEST source of criminal proceeds and represents one of the most significant money laundering threats to the United States.

What can you do?

• If you're expecting a check via mail, follow up if it does not arrive on time
• Monitor your accounts in real-time with Online and Mobile Banking
• Watch for any missing mail including bank statements, reoccurring bills, etc.
• Add Account Alerts for any transactions that occur on your account

Card Fraud Text Alerts

Card Fraud Text Alerts will notify you immediately if a suspicious transaction is detected on your debit card by sending a text to your cell phone. This allows you to instantly and easily review transactions that may be fraudulent and help protect your account. Click here to read how it works!