Scammers are sending fake emails and texts that look surprisingly real. These messages often include official logos, familiar sender names, and urgent warnings that your account is at risk. Their goal is to trick you into clicking on dangerous links or sharing personal information. Be on the lookout for signs of a scam. Watch for links with unusual characters, typos or awkward language in the message, and urgent alerts claiming your account is locked. These are common tactics used to create a sense of panic and get you to act quickly without thinking. Trust your gut: if something doesn’t seem […]
Consumer Alerts
Did a Random Number Just Invite You Over for Pot Roast? It’s a Scam
You’re going about your day when your phone buzzes with a new message: “Are you still coming over for pot roast tonight?” You pause. Pot roast sounds great, but you don’t recognize the number (or remember making any dinner plans). Instead of ignoring it, you reply, “Who is this?” That’s exactly what scammers are hoping for. These seemingly friendly, accidental invitations are a common trick to get you to engage. Scammers may try to keep the conversation going, gradually building trust before asking for money, pitching fake investment opportunities or sending malicious links. They might also try to collect personal […]
Beware of AI Voice Scams
Scammers are now using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to mimic the voices of loved ones or other contacts you know and trust, such as your local banker. Their goal may be to trick you into releasing sensitive financial information or to entice you to send them money. They often stress urgency and confidentiality to get you to act quickly and without discussing the details with your family, bank or local law enforcement. If you receive a suspicious call that claims to be from MVSB, it’s important to act quickly and protect yourself. Hang up immediately and do not engage […]
Protecting Your Privacy: Navigating Social Media Settings
Social media platforms are constantly evolving, often introducing new features that can impact your privacy. Instagram’s recent update to its location settings has sparked fresh conversations about how much personal information we share online—sometimes without even realizing it. With these changes, it’s more important than ever to take control of your privacy by understanding and adjusting your settings. The first step to protecting your privacy is to regularly review your account settings. On Instagram, for example, you can now manage who sees your location or whether your location is shared at all. Take a moment to explore the “Privacy” section […]
Local Businesses Receive Fake Calls Claiming to be from their Bank
Local businesses are reporting a surge in dubious phone calls, allegedly from their local bank. These scammers often attempt to confirm or modify payment details or online banking credentials, which they then exploit for fraudulent activities. These scammers cleverly use publicly accessible information about bank employees to lend credibility to their calls. With the advancement in technology, they’re even employing AI to imitate voices and spoof caller IDs, making the calls appear more legitimate. It’s crucial to remember that MVSB, along with other trustworthy banks, will never reach out to you for sensitive information that’s already in their records. Such […]
NH Attorney General Warns of Deed Fraud
New Hampshire’s Attorney General is warning real estate owners of quit claim deed fraud. Fraud occurs when scammers forge documents to facilitate a fake transfer of property outside of a traditional sale – without the owner’s knowledge. Then the scammer will try to record the forged documentation with the Registry of Deeds in the county where the property is located. If successful, they can sell the property, take out a mortgage and/or rent the property for profit. Scammers tend to target vacant lots, property without liens and property owned by people living out of state. But in order to do […]
Receive a Text that You Have an Overdue Toll Bill? It’s a Scam
Our Fraud Team has reported an increase in individuals across the country receiving text messages indicating they have unpaid or overdue toll charges. These messages are a scam and recipients should ignore and delete them. If you are unsure and want to verify, reach out to the state’s tolling agency directly using a legitimate phone number or website, not the contact info provided in the text. The text will offer a way to settle your account, and you will be instructed to click on a link and provide payment information. The fraudster likely will imply a sense of urgency to […]
Don’t Fall for an Imposter Scam
Imposter scams accounted for more than one third of all reported fraud in New Hampshire in 2024, according to reports by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This amounted to 3,083 out of 8,838 fraud reports, with nearly $35 million lost to fraudsters altogether. With imposters on the rise not only in New Hampshire but throughout the country, its important to stay vigilant, understand how the scam works and steps to take to avoid becoming a victim. Imposter scam tactics may vary slightly in appearance, but they all boil down to one thing – scammers pretending to be someone else in […]
Home Sweet Hoax: Mortgage Relief Scams on the Rise
A recent update from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) indicates an alarming uptick in mortgage relief scams targeting consumers across the US. Victims report being contacted by phone and coerced into providing payment or account information urgently to avoid foreclosure on their home. Scammers typically pose as their home mortgage company or bank, often spoofing (or altering) the Caller ID information to appear as though the call is from their actual mortgage provider. How do scammers know where you financed your home? Mortgage information is often publicly available in county records and can be easily searched and located online. This […]
Local Customers Receiving Fake Fraud Texts Followed by Phone Calls
The MVSB Fraud Center will never ask you for your login information, your debit card number or other protected information. Some of our customers have let us know that they received text messages from criminals posing as our Fraud Center. The fraudsters ask about a specific transaction and as for a yes or no response. Shortly after the customer responds “no”, the criminal calls them and tries to get their online banking login and password, debit card information, account details or other protected information. If you receive this text message, please delete it and let us know by calling 603.279.7986. […]
