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March 27, 2024
Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. And in this time of expanded use of online and mobile banking, the problem is only growing worse.
Scams aren’t so scary when you know what to look for. And at MidCountry Bank, we’re committed to helping you spot them as an extra layer of protection for your account. We want every bank customer to become a pro at spotting a phishing scam—and stop impostors in their tracks. Learn about the following scams to keep your accounts safe and secure.
Debit card issue
Fraudsters use phishing scams via email, text or websites, but there are also phishing calls that try to convince you that there's an issue with your debit card. These scammers will make you think that your debit card has been restricted and they need information to order you a new card. They will ask for the last 4 digits of the card and the 3-digit cvv on the back of the card. Within minutes of the information being given, transactions start appearing on the card that was thought to be reordered. MidCountry Bank will NEVER call you and ask for this information. If you do get a call where a person is saying that they are from MidCountry Bank, ask them for their information, and say that you'll call back. Once you've hung up, you can call MidCountry Bank (not redialing the number that just called) and ask to speak to a representative about the phone call and your card.
Business email compromise
The scammer may impersonate a company executive by hacking their email ID to send you a spoofed email requesting a change in the payment destination.
Impersonating a MidCountry Bank employee
Scammers will try to pose as a MidCountry Bank employee and ask you to provide your personal information or even transfer money by phone, text or email. In this process, the scammer is attempting to gain unauthorized access to your account.
Social media marketplace scams
Scammers are placing ads on social media marketplaces for selling goods and services. Often, these deals require the customers to pay in advance. Once you pay the scammers, you won’t be able to get in touch with them again.
Pay yourself
Scammers may contact you impersonating MidCountry Bank and tell you that they’ve noticed suspicious activity and they can stop the fraud by directing you to send yourself money through a digital payment service. The scammer will ask for the one-time security code you received from your bank, so they can authorize your payment to yourself. In reality, the code will allow them to link their bank account to your phone number or email address. Now that money you thought was going to yourself is really going into the scammer’s bank account.
Best practices to protect you and your family
- Never give out personal or sensitive information to someone who sends you a text message, email, or calls you on the phone.
- Don’t click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message asking you to update or verify account information.
- Monitor your bank accounts and transaction history. Some tools to help you manage your card and account include:
- Mobile Banking App for protection and the ability to control your debit card access, set up alerts, and check your activity any time.
- Online Banking – allows you to monitor activity on your account any time.
- SecureAlerts – alerts you when debit card transactions occur.
- Keep your browser updated and use antivirus software on your computer.
- Don’t use obvious passwords like birthdays, family names, etc. and never share your passwords.
- When in doubt, call us! Stay vigilant and act quickly if you suspect fraud.
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