Information Security Brief

Recent cyber-attacks are proof that cyber criminals are out in full force. Here are a few red flags and what you can do to fight these attacks. 

Phone Call Red Flags

• The call is unsolicited, regardless of the caller-id. Caller-id can be changed to make it look like a familiar or legitimate phone number. 
• The caller asks for sensitive, personal, or account information.
• The caller is in a hurry, using pressure tactics, and discourages you from calling them back. 
• The caller claims to be a bank employee and asks for authorization/approval of a transaction and either asks you for personal or account information and/or doesn't provide transaction information. 
  • The bank MAY contact you to verify a transaction but they will not ask for more than your name and they will provide the transaction details to you. 

Email Red Flags

• Most (99% of) emails you receive are unsolicited; be suspicious.
• Spelling, poor grammar, layout, and mistakes are giveaways, but sometimes the spelling and sentence structures are good. 
• There's a sense of urgency about the email, which suggests taking immediate action to solve a problem, prevent a negative consequence, win a gift or prize. 

What to do when you receive a suspicious email or phone call

• Never act in haste or be pressured into taking immediate action. 
• Tell the caller you're busy and refuse to continue the conversation. 
• If the caller appears to be pushy or is unwilling to accept a call back from you and suddenly hangs up, call the bank immediately to report the incident. 
• Do not open an attachment or click on a link on an email unless you're 100% certain the email is legitimate. 
• Do not give anyone personal information about you, your organization, or bank account.
  • Note, if you call us, it is our policy to verify that you're in fact the caller to prevent fraud.