It sometimes can be difficult to know what to do if you are targeted by a scammer. This uncertainty and even feelings of embarrassment from falling victim to fraud often leads to underreporting of incidents and further financial damage.
The good news? We are here to help. Our local bankers and fraud professionals are trained to identify scams and assist you with protecting your accounts and identity. No shaming here – only dedicated professionals with your best interest at heart. And our knowledge and awareness of the techniques that scammers are currently using helps up protect other individuals who may be at risk of ending up in your shoes.
If you are an MVSB customer and have experienced any of the following scenarios, contact us right away:
- Suspicious charges to your account(s)
- Responded to a text message that shows as the bank reporting unauthorized charges
- Clicked a link in a phishing email
- Shared personal information or sent money in response to a threating phone call
- You are asked for money by an online love interest
- A family member calls and says they are in trouble out of town and need you to send them money to help
- Purchased and/or sent gift cards from an online request
- Sent personal or account information in response to a good-to-be-true offer
- Asked to move your money to a Bitcoin machine to keep is “safe”
These are just a few of the red flags of scams, but the reality is that fraudsters have a million ways to target their victims and are trying new ways every day – often getting more sophisticated.
Ultimately, the best way to avoid fraud is to stop it before the scammer ever gets your money or personal information. Go to our 10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Fraud article to read tips on staying proactive.
Visit our Fraud Prevention resource page or the Consumer Alerts section to learn more about more about common scams.
The Federal Trade Commission also provides next steps and reporting methods if you think you were a victim of a scammer. Go to consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed to read more.
