Imposter Scams

Please Note: Banks are commonly used in imposter scams, and as your bank, we will NEVER initiate contact with you and ask for your Social Security number, bank account or debit card numbers, or logins and passwords.

If you contact us, we may ask you to verify your identity using various information we have on file, but we will never call or email you and ask for this information unsolicited.

We advise you to never give out your Social Security number or any account numbers to anyone that you have not initiated contact with first and never share your login information with anyone.

If you receive a call or message from us that you are unsure about, please contact us at a number you know is correct to verify its authenticity before taking any actions. 

Tips to spot, avoid, and report imposter scams

Imposter scams often begin with a call, text message, email, or direct message through social media. The tactics vary, but most work the same way – a scammer pretends to be someone you trust to convince you to send them money or share personal information. They often use fear tactics and pressure you to respond quickly.

These imposters may ask you to transfer money from your bank; person-to-person payment apps and services such as Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle; wire money using a company like Western Union or MoneyGram; put money on a gift card; or send cryptocurrency, because they know these types of payments can be hard to reverse. 

Scammers will call, email, text, or message you and may claim to be: 

• From your bank, claiming a need to verify personal information before sending you a new debit or credit card, or by claiming you have account or debit card fraud issues, etc.  
• A family member (or someone acting for them), saying your relative is sick, injured, has been arrested, or is in serious trouble and needs money right away. Sometimes, AI (artificial intelligence) voice-cloning is used to make it appear you can hear your loved one or are even speaking to them directly.
• From Social Security, claiming that your number or benefits have been suspended.
• From the IRS, saying you owe back taxes, there’s a problem with your return, or they need to verify information.
• A court official, indicating that you failed to appear for jury duty and need to pay a fine or you will be arrested.
• The police, saying you’ll be arrested, fined or deported if you don’t pay taxes or some other debt right away.
• A transportation authority stating you need to immediately pay parking tickets, tollway fees, etc.
• From online merchants (Amazon, eBay, Netflix, etc.), stating your account is locked and you need to verify or update your account or payment information.
• A potential love interest, who after attempting to get to know you, asks for help or money to visit you or get them out of some kind of trouble.
• From a tech service, stating your computer is infected with a virus and they need to be granted remote access.
• From your employer, wanting you to verify direct deposit information for payroll or sending you links attempting to gain access to your company’s network.
• From a charity, often after a natural disaster, asking you to quickly send needed funds.
• From a delivery service (UPS, FedEx, or USPS), stating a package is delayed or needs rerouted asking you to click on a link to verify your information

Follow these tips to help protect your money and personal information:

• Be suspicious of any call asking for money or sensitive personal information especially your bank or a government agency. Reputable companies and organizations don’t use threats, they don’t call you with promises of or demands for money, and they shouldn't be asking you for information they already have.
• Don’t trust your caller ID – it can easily be faked.
• Always slow things down and verify first. Pressure tactics are commonly used to get you to act in haste, often using fear or emotional stress to get you to act without thinking or allowing you to verify their claims.   
• Never pay with a gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency to anyone who tells you to. No legitimate business or organization will pressure you into paying with these methods.
• Never share your login IDs, passwords, or one-time passcodes with anyone who claims they are needed to verify your accounts, payments, etc.
• Check with the real agency, person, or company. Don’t use a phone number, email, or any links they give you. Look up and use a contact method you know is correct.
• Use extreme caution when clicking links in emails or text messages and when downloading or opening file attachments. Links can redirect you to unsecure webpages or forms and file attachments can contain viruses. If you are uncertain, check with the sender it appears to be from at a number or website you know to be authentic before taking any actions.
• Report it. Scammers target people of all ages, incomes, and circumstances and one of the best ways to stop them in their tracks is to report it – to help others and to protect yourself. Don’t let fear or embarrassment stop you from taking the steps needed to halt and limit any potential losses.
  • If you are targeted by an imposter scam, report it to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. Your report can help the FTC’s investigators identify and stop imposters.
  • If you think you have fallen victim to this or any type of scam and worry you may have shared sensitive personal or financial information: 1) contact your bank as quickly as possible to help you take steps to protect your accounts. 2) Change your passwords on any compromised accounts, and 3) place a fraud alert on your credit report.
  • If you lose money to a scam, contact your local police department's non-emergency number and request to file a police report.
  • If you click on a malicious link or file on your employer’s network, report it to your organization’s IT team right away. If you are on a personal device, disconnect if from the Internet and scan your device for malware.
• Share it. Help protect your family, friends, and neighbors by sharing these tips and your own experiences to help them also learn to spot and prevent scams.