Avoiding Fraud

Don't get ripped off! If you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you could be involved in a fraud or about to be scammed!

• Is the check from an item you sold on the internet, such as a car, boat, jewelry, etc?
• Is the amount of the check more than the item’s selling price?
• Did you receive the check via an overnight delivery service?
• Is the check connected to communicating with someone by email?
• Is the check drawn on a business or individual account that is different from the person buying your item of product?
• Have you been informed that you were the winner of a lottery, such as Canadian, Australian, El Gordo, or El Mundo, that you did not enter?
• Have you been instructed to either “wire”,”send” or “ship” money, as soon as possible, to a large U.S. city or to another country, such as Canada, England, or Nigeria?
• Are you receiving pay or a commission for facilitating money transfers through your account?
• Did you respond to an email requesting you to confirm, update or provide your account information?

Tell branch personnel immediately!

12 Tips for Preventing Check Fraud

Checking account fraud is growing fast. According to the Federal Reserve, $10 billion will be lost this year as a result of check fraud. Home computer equipment can produce professional-looking color documents which thieves use to create counterfeit checks. Here are 12 things you can do to avoid check fraud:

1. Never respond to unsolicited requests for checking account, social security or other financial information.
2. Keep checks safe at home or on you; never leave them in your car or workplace.
3. Shred unused checks before discarding, even those from a closed account.
4. Destroy convenience checks (like those that allow cash advances on credit cards) before discarding.
5. Never have your social security or drivers license number preprinted on your checks.
6. When mailing checks, use a heavy envelope or wrap them in paper to make them harder to view through the envelope.
7. Contact your bank and postal authorities if newly ordered checks or routine bank statements do not arrive in a timely manner.
8. Know how many checks you ordered; verify your order and the accuracy of the information on your checks.
9. If personal checks or any checks payable to you, are stolen, immediately notify your bank to close the compromised accounts and file a police report.
10. Check your balance frequently and promptly review and reconcile checking account statements for accuracy and fraud.
11. Consider shopping elsewhere if the merchant requires your social security number to make a purchase.
12. If you live in a state that uses your social security number as your driver’s license number, request an alternative random number.