Consumer Alerts

This is the time of year when fraud attempts are on the rise. One type of fraud focused on online banking is called “credential stuffing.”  This is when fraudsters obtain login IDs and passwords from other sites or apps, then attempt to use those same credentials elsewhere to see if customers use the same info for multiple sites or apps. Unfortunately, many people do use the same login IDs and passwords for multiple sites and apps – so credential stuffing is sometimes successful. Even if an attempt is not successful but the login ID matches an online banking user, the […]

We have received reports of an uptick in fraud where local community members are receiving calls from cybercriminals claiming to be companies associated with the bank. In this case, the criminals are calling bank customers with the intent of collecting sensitive personal information. Please be aware that neither the bank nor anyone associated with us would ever call our customers to ask for sensitive information. If you or someone you know receives a call like this, hang up and contact us directly at our published phone number 800.922.6872. This type of fraud is also known as social engineering, or a […]

Our fraud analyst team has learned that local customers have had fraudulent pop-ups or emails on their home computers notifying the customer they have been charged an annual subscription fee for Norton Security. The pop-up or email contains a phone number for the customer to call to dispute the charge and obtain a refund. When the customer calls to dispute the charge, the fake Norton Security representative asked the customer to download a program onto their computer as part of the process to obtain the refund. The customer is then asked to login to their online banking account so they […]

Our Cyber Security Team has been notified that several local community members have received phone calls that fraudulently claim on caller ID to be from Meredith Village Savings Bank.  The criminals claim to be calling from Medicare and are trying to defraud and cause financial harm to the people that they are calling. At this time, there is little we can do to stop these criminals from faking their phone number on caller ID.  However, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and telephone service providers are working on a plan to ensure technical checks and phone call authentication by June 2021. […]

With the holidays and season for giving fast approaching, we wanted to remind you to be weary of fictitious charities asking for donations.  As the pandemic continues, many fake charities are portraying themselves as help for those in need of medical assistance. Both the FBI and Department of Justice have issued public warnings about the uptick in charity fraud occurring this time of the year: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/charity-and-disaster-fraud Our intent is not to devalue the importance and positive impact that legitimate charities have on communities. If you would like to give and help, look into the charity and validate that the person […]

The U.S. Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports of individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice, calling members of the public as part of an imposter scam. The department strongly encourages consumers to remain vigilant and to not provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target seniors. Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate that these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees. They attempt to obtain personal information from the recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users […]

We have received reports of a new scam involving fraudulent Amazon refunds. Many Amazon customers have been recently contacted by phone from an ‘Amazon representative’ to issue refunds they were not expecting. In some instances customers were told the refund is a result of fraud on their Amazon account, and at other times customers are told they were overcharged for a previous purchase. The scam works this way:A representative instructs the customer to sign into their computer to allow the representative remote access to it. The customer is then directed to Amazon and instructed to log in. Once logged on, […]

Local consumers have reported suspicious phone calls appearing to come from Meredith Village Savings Bank or other local financial institutions. The caller ID information displayed on such calls is “spoofed” to look like it came from the bank. Please remember, Meredith Village Savings Bank will not contact you for financial payment information such as your account or debit card number. These calls are fraudulent and are not being made by MVSB or any other local financial institution. If you receive a phone call like this, please hang up and do not provide any information. If you believe you may have […]

Beware of an increase in Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card swapping. A SIM card swap happens when a hacker pretends to be you and convinces your mobile device carrier to switch your phone number over to a SIM card that they own. A SIM card is the tiny memory chip inside a mobile device that carries an identification number unique to that owner. It stores the personal data for the owner and device. If it’s disabled or removed, your device will stop working. This swap can be easily done if the hacker has enough information to answer the security questions […]

We have seen an increase in instances for fake flash pop-ups such as the “Fake Flash Player Update”, which tricks people into downloading software, only to wreak havoc on their systems and networks. This scam is distributed through deceptive and unofficial websites that imitate real products. With an uptick in people working from home, we advise that you remain vigilant. It is always good practice to first check with your IT department before downloading any applications or software updates. You also should be careful not to do this on your home computer. If you are concerned that you may have […]