Your banker may ask you a few questions in confidence in an effort to keep you and all of our customers safe. Always remember, if you are being pressured to send money or to lie to your banker or the police about the circumstances, it is a scam. Cybercriminals are targeting local people and businesses with convincing and sophisticated schemes, and the best way to keep money out of the hands of a scammer is to stop the fraud before any money is sent. If you ever feel you may have fallen victim, please let us know right away. You […]
Consumer Alerts
Beware of Fake Calls from the Bank
Local residents are receiving calls from fraudsters posing as bank employees asking for online banking, account and debit card information or to verify fake charges. If you are contacted asking for information about your MVSB accounts, please do not respond and call us directly for assistance. Communications from fraudsters can be convincing and they may even “spoof” the caller ID to appear as though the call is from a local bank number. Be wary of communication you aren’t expecting and remember, we will not ask for sensitive information via phone, email or text unless you have contacted us for support. […]
Don’t Fall for a Tech Support Scam
If you get an unusual pop-up message, call or email that your computer has been infected with a virus, it is a scammer posing as a tech support specialist from a legitimate company. Scammers attempt to access to your device with a false promise to fix “virus issues.” Clicking a link or allowing someone remote access to your device permits them to then install harmful malware or steal your personal information. AARP offers the following tips to protect yourself:Close out of a popup or browser, or reboot your computer if you can’t get rid of it. Never click on any […]
Sudden Changes to Wire Information by Email are Red Flag for Fraud Scam
Consider this: You are purchasing a new property and have been emailing your lawyer to iron out the details. You get an email that you need to wire the $45,000 down payment. But it states the wire information previously sent to you has changed and you will need to wire the money to a different account. The email address seems legitimate based on previous communications, so you wire the money. But the money is actually wired to a scammer and never seen again. So, what happened? A scammer has compromised the sender’s email account and has sent a message that […]
Over $10 Billion Lost to Financial Scams in the US in 2023
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced the top scams of 2023. The report detailed that a record $10 billion was lost to scams last year, up $1 billion from 2022. Email was the primary contact method for scammers with imposter scams – where fraudster poses as your bank, a government agency, or a relative in distress, for example – claiming losses of $2.7 billion. The FTC also reported that younger adults were scammed most frequently, but older adults saw higher financial losses due to scams. One way to avoid becoming a victim is to stay informed about the latest […]
Don’t Fall for a Fake Fraud Alert Claiming to be from MVSB
We have been alerted to scam text messages and phone calls posing as MVSB and other local banks. The message/caller may state that an account transfer has been scheduled for a large dollar amount and ask you to click on a link or provide confidential information, such as your account or card number or online banking credentials, to verify. Remember: Never click on a suspicious link you receive by text and do not provide with sensitive information in response to an unsolicited text or call. Doing so will put your phone, your accounts and your identity at risk. It’s easy […]
Beware of Fake Calls and Texts from the Bank
Local residents are receiving calls, emails and text messages from fraudsters posing as bank employees asking for online banking, account and debit card information or to verify fake charges. If you are contacted asking for information about your MVSB accounts, please do not respond and call us directly for assistance. Communications from fraudsters can be convincing and they may even “spoof” the caller ID to appear as though the call is from a local bank number. Be wary of communication you aren’t expecting and remember, we will not ask for sensitive information via phone, email or text unless you have […]
Boss Asking for Gift Cards Over Text Message? It’s a Scam.
Consider this scenario You receive the following text message from your supervisor: “This is Mike, I am in an important meeting right now and need a favor. Would you mind running to a nearby store to grab 5 $100 gift cards for a retirement party tonight? I forgot to go earlier and don’t have time. Send me a photo of the claim code on the back to save time. Thanks.” It may seem like a simple request, but it is actually an impersonation scam. Fraudsters use a sense of trust and urgency to trick employees into sending funds via gift […]
Watch for Scammers During Tax Season
It’s tax season and the Federal Trade Commission urges all consumers and businesses to keep an eye out for scammers impersonating the IRS. Scammers send out fake text messages and emails regarding tax rebates or benefits in an attempt to get you to click on a malicious link or attachment. While the messages may look legitimate, it is best to never click on links or attachments in unexpected texts. You could be opening yourself up to identity theft or malware. Remember, the IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. […]
Email Compromise Can Happen to Your Business
We have been alerted to a significant increase in Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes targeting local businesses. Please remember: it can happen to anyone – even if you have solid information security protocols in place. In recent instances, the email accounts of local business owners or employees AND vendors they work with are compromised. The scammers get to know you and your business by intercepting and reviewing your confidential emails. This makes the communication to you and your employees exceptionally realistic and convincing. When fraudulent requests to update account information or make a payment are received, you or your employees […]
