Consumer Alerts

10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Fraud

Posted on August 30, 2023

Fraud can happen to anyone at any time and you could be a scammer’s next target. Even if you think your identity and online accounts are safe and secure, it’s still important to take these steps to protect yourself: Review your credit at least annually. You are entitled to a complimentary copy of your credit from each agency annually and you can access request them online at www.annualcreditreport.com Review your account transactions and statements regularly. Using secure tools like online and telephone banking can help you pick up on suspicious activity faster and between statements. Contact your financial institution immediately […]

Steer Clear of Cryptocurrency Recovery Service Scams

Posted on August 16, 2023

The FBI has announced an increase in scammers targeting individuals who have lost money to cryptocurrency fraud and scams with a false promise to help recover the funds. The scammers may reach out via social media or even create online ads posing as recovery services to attract those seeking ways to recover their lost funds. They will ask for fees to complete the recovery process and then cease all communications without delivering results. To add legitimacy to the scam, they may claim an affiliation with a law enforcement agency. The FBI offers the following tips:Be wary of advertisements for cryptocurrency […]

Beware of Fake Calls and Texts from the Bank

Posted on July 17, 2023

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 […]

Businesses: Don’t Get Tricked by a Fraudulent Invoice

Posted on July 14, 2023

Businesses should be on the lookout for fraudulent invoice emails at the beginning of each month. In this common scheme, called “Invoice Fraud,” scammers take advantage of the fact that many businesses receive an influx of invoices around this time and try to trick employees into giving out information, sending funds or clicking on links. While invoice fraud isn’t new, it has become more effective as more and more companies opt to or are required to receive invoices electronically. Common invoice fraud scenarios include:Overdue payment to a fake business. Recipients are bullied into paying invoices due to their threatening nature. […]

Beware of Fake Calls and Texts from the Bank

Posted on April 25, 2023

Customers from local banks and credit unions have reported that they are receiving calls and text messages from criminal fraudsters who claim to be reaching out from the bank. The scammer will often claim to be from the bank or the bank’s fraud center and indicate that there are potentially fraudulent transactions on their account and that they need to verify the transactions. The fraudster lists fake transactions and asks “did you make these purchase or are they fraudulent?” The fraudster will then ask for information that only you would know, such as your social security number or the last […]

Scammers Pose as Amazon Representatives

Posted on March 13, 2023

The MVSB Fraud Team has reported a recent uptick of Amazon scams targeting local residents. In most reports, scammers call posing as an “Amazon representative” asking to verify a bogus charge. When the victim replies that the charge is not authorized, the scammer then requests the name of their bank to transfer them to the “fraud department” to resolve the issue. In reality, the victim is transferred to another scammer posing as a fraud center employee looking to gather sensitive information such as their social security number or bank account details to commit fraud and identity theft. Remember, if any […]

Trending Scam Involves Transferring Money via Barcode

Posted on March 12, 2023

A recent scam has surfaced where fraudsters use barcodes to trick victims into transferring money. The scam begins with a call or text from someone claiming to be from the Federal Reserve. They state that your financial account has been compromised and money needs to be transferred to a federal safe deposit box as soon as possible to keep it safe. To perpetrate the scam, the caller will text you a barcode and instructions to visit a large retailer to have it scanned at the service desk. You will then be asked for your debit card to pay the funds […]

Be Vigilant When Donating to Relief Efforts

Posted on February 21, 2023

In time of crisis, such as devastating earthquakes, many of us look to for ways to help those affected by donating money. Unfortunately, scammers often take advantage of emotions and newsworthy events and ramp up their efforts to by creating fake charities or other schemes. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, if you are looking to support those in need, it’s important to know the signs of a scam and how to protect yourself. Avoid scams and make sure your donation makes it to where it’s needed:Before you donate, take time to do your research. Search for the […]

Fraudsters Posing as Your Local Bank

Posted on January 25, 2023

Local residents are receiving calls, emails and text from fraudsters posing as bank employees asking for online banking, account and debit card information. 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. We will […]

Know the Warning Signs of Romance Scams

Posted on January 23, 2023

According to the Federal Trade Commission, online romance scams are on the rise with $547 million being lost to scams in 2021 alone. If you are using online dating apps, websites or social media sites, it’s important to know how romance scams work so you can avoid being catfished and/or scammed. Millions of people across the country use online dating tools each year – and many of the profiles that appear are criminals using fake online identities. They use fake profile photo and life stories to form romantic attachments with unsuspecting victims and a variety of schemes to scam them […]