YOUR SECURITY

At our bank, security is our number one priority. Our customers can rest assured that we utilize best and latest security software tools available, along with constant vigilance by our security and tech staff, to safeguard your data. You should also know that there are some things you can do yourself to greatly decrease the possibility of fraud and identity theft.

Reviewing the information below and checking out the links to more important security information will be well worth your time.

 

New Cash Bag Scam Alert

There's a new "cash bag scam" sweeping the U.S. that you NEED to know about!

Scammers are impersonating reps from retail vendors or law enforcement, tricking victims into withdrawing large sums of cash and handing it over. They often claim your accounts are compromised and being used for illegal activities.


Here's what to watch out for:

  • They'll tell you to withdraw cash.
  • They'll instruct you to lie to bank employees.
  • They'll pressure you to hand over the money to a stranger.

This scam has a devastating emotional and financial impact on victims. Always remember: NO legitimate authority or company will ever ask you to withdraw cash and give it to them or a third party.
 

Protect yourself and your loved ones:

  • Be cautious of unexpected calls or messages, especially if they create a sense of urgency or fear.
  • Never give out personal financial information or comply with demands to withdraw or transfer money.
  • If you suspect a scam, hang up and independently verify the situation by contacting the organization directly using a known, legitimate phone number.
  • Report any suspicious activity to your bank and local law enforcement.

This sounds like such simple-stupid advice…but there are thousands of people scammed every day that hear those commands and believe it.


Let's spread awareness and protect our communities! Share this post to warn your friends and family.


For more details, check out the original article: A New Real Cash Scam Sweeps Across the U.S.

 

Older lady on phone with bag of cash.

 

 

Think that text message is from USPS? It could be a scam!

Have you ever received a text message about a package coming via the United States Postal Service? Maybe it confirmed your order, said a package is out for delivery, or said there’s a problem like unpaid postage, a missed delivery, or you need to update your shipping preferences. That text message will say to click a link to learn more or fix the problem. But – as the Federal Trade Commission warns - there’s a good chance that text message that says it’s from USPS (or FedEx…or DHL…) is really from a scammer.

Scammers want you to click the link in their message. What happens next is the scam: the click takes you to a look-alike of a real website where they’ll tell you to enter personal or financial information. If you pay, that money — along with your credit card number, name, address, and anything else you entered — will go straight to the scammer.

To avoid this scam:

  • Verify delivery information independently. If you think a text is about a real delivery, don’t give information or click on any links in the message. Instead, go to the online retail site or account you ordered your item from to look up the shipping and tracking information for your package.
  • Use filters. See what options your mobile phone has to filter and block texts from unknown senders.
  • Report unwanted text messages and scams on the messaging app you use. See if your phone has an option to report junk or spam. If not, forward the message to 7726.

If you spot a scam, or think you have been a victim if a scam, let us know immediately by calling your branch of The Bank of Marion or by calling our main office at 276.783.3116

 

FBI says scam losses increased by 33% in 2024

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released its latest annual report in April. The 2024 Internet Crime Report combines information from 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and details reported losses exceeding $16 billion—a 33% increase in losses from 2023.

The top three cybercrimes by number of complaints reported by victims in 2024, were phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Victims of investment fraud, specifically those involving cryptocurrency, reported the most losses—totaling over $6.5 billion.

 

Scam Alert for Business Customers

 

Fraudster calls to our business customers: Some crooks may spoof the bank’s telephone number, making that number show up on the customers’ Caller ID. When customers answer these calls, these crooks impersonate our employees and attempt to get customers’ personal information to gain access to their accounts.

Several of our business customers have reported that the fraudster who called them identified himself as Frank Mason of “our fraud department”. We have no employee with that name.

Please remember that we do not call our customers and ask for sensitive personal or account information. We already have that information.

If you receive a call from anyone who requests this kind of information, hang up immediately and let us know about the call.

This is a very clever scam, and the stakes can be high. Don’t be taken in. Stay vigilant!

 

 

AI Voiceovers & Call Spoofing Scams

 

There has been a recent increase in fraudulent activities involving call spoofing and AI voiceovers in which scammers can pose as representatives of The Bank of Marion.

“Call spoofing” is a technique where callers manipulate caller ID information to make it appear that the call is coming from a different number or location. Call spoofing is often used in scams or other fraudulent activities.

“AI voiceovers” refers to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to convert written text into spoken words. This is how fraudsters can mimic a bank employee and/or their voice.

These fraudsters may attempt to deceive you by claiming to be from The Bank of Marion and will ask for sensitive information, such as your account details and personal identification numbers. They may request access to your computer and may even use sophisticated AI voiceovers to mimic The Bank's official communications.

The Bank of Marion is committed to the security of your information, and we want to remind you of the following:

  1. The bank will never call you to ask for your personal or financial information. If you receive such a call, especially if the voice sounds artificial or different, it is likely a scam.
  2. If you are unsure about the authenticity of a call, please hang up immediately and call 276-783-3116 or call your nearest local branch to let us know what has happened.
  3. Always verify the identity of the caller. You can do this by hanging up and calling us back on our official contact number, 276-783-3116.
  4. Never allow anyone to remotely access your computer during or following a phone call, even if they claim to be from our bank.

Your security is our top priority. If you suspect that you have been a victim of such a scam, please contact us immediately at our official customer service number.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Together, we can ensure the security of your information.

 

 

WE NEVER ASK CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR CARD NUMBERS OR ACCOUNT NUMBERS.


If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from our “fraud department,” please hang up immediately. Such calls are from scammers. They may tell you that your credit or debit card is blocked and then ask for your card number. Don’t fall for this scam. If you do, your deposits may be at serious risk. Just hang up immediately!
 

Don’t become a victim of this scam.

 

Please be aware of this text scam!


Scammers posing as bank employees are sending phony texts to bank customers in our region. The scammers ask these customers to click on a link contained in the text. Those who click on the link and follow the scammers’ instructions are putting their bank deposits in serious jeopardy.

We would never send our customers a text containing a link.

If you receive such a text, know that it is a scam to steal your sensitive personal information so the scammer can then steal your money. You should DELETE SUCH A TEXT IMMEDIATELY!

 

“Smishing” is a Major Cybersecurity Threat

CROOKS USE TEXTS TO STEAL PERSONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Most people are aware of phishing scams, a technique that uses email or websites to steal sensitive data, such as bank account numbers, passwords, and Social Security numbers. But they may not realize scammers can also target them with deceptive text messages sent to their smart devices. It's called "smishing": a mashup of SMS – for "Short Message Service” and phishing.

Smishing scams are becoming more sophisticated and frequent. This threat requires all of us to become more watchful and wary about suspicious SMS messages and texts.

A typical smishing scam message may seem like it's from The Bank of Marion.  It may include a link or phone number to bait you into clicking or calling. If you do, you stand a good chance of being hooked. And that's when the scammers start manipulating your personal information to extract money from your bank accounts.

To appear legitimate, these crooks often use official-sounding words or phrases. They typically request urgent action from their targets to avoid a threat or to resolve a problem. For example, the text message may say, “your account is suspended,” or it may say, “fraudulent account activity detected.” Such messages are just scare tactics.

Smishing scammer may also try to entice you into downloading malware to your device.

Criminals love smishing because users tend to trust text messages more than email.

 

Things you can do to avoid being a victim of a smishing attempt include:

  • Never click suspicious links, reply to suspicious text messages, or call numbers you don't recognize.
  • Be aware that crooks can “spoof” the bank’s telephone number
  • Do not respond, even if the message requests that you "text STOP" to end messages.
  • Delete all suspicious texts.
  • Make sure your smart device OS and security apps are updated to the latest version.
  • Consider installing anti-malware software on your device for added security.

Be sure to validate any suspicious texts. If you get a text purportedly from a business or government agency, check your bill for the businesses contact information or search the government agency's official website. Call or email them separately to confirm whether you received a legitimate text. A simple web search can often thwart a scammer.

Always stop before you respond to any questionable text or email and avoid the urge to engage. According to the FBI, Americans have lost billions of dollars to cybercrime, and a significant portion of that is attributed to personal data breaches and identity theft.

If you think that you are a victim of smishing, please call us at 276.783.3116.

You can also file a complaint with the FCC at no cost. Read the FCC Complaint Center FAQ to learn more about the their complaint process, including how to file a complaint, and what happens after a complaint is filed.

 

Multifaceted Cyber Threat - Be Alert!


Scammers are using a multifaceted attack to gain access to their victim’s online bank accounts. This is a widespread and effective scam, and it is now targeting local bank customers.

Here is how it works:

These attackers call targeted customers and tell them that their online account has been compromised. During the call, the scammer accesses the bank’s online banking webpage and instructs the customer to reset their password - and provide their Secure Access Code, if the attackers need it to access the account. This action is necessary, the scammer will say, to protect the customer’s funds.

If the customer follows the attacker’s instructions, the attacker will have full access to the customer’s bank account and is able to transfer funds out of the account. Often, the account is fully cleaned out by the attacker.

What makes this scam so effective?

The scammer…

  • Targets a potential victim after collecting information about the customer from social media.
  • May already have the customer’s Social Security Number and other personally identifiable information pulled from the dark web.
  • Likely “spoofs” the bank’s telephone number to gain credibility.
  • May impersonate a bank employee when calling the targeted person.
  • Is very believable and convincing, as evidenced by the number of people who have fallen victim to this scam.

To help protect our customers from these cybercrime attacks, we will no longer provide Secure Access Codes via email. Access codes will be provided only by text or by phone.

 

Here is how you can help protect yourself and your bank accounts:

  • Remember: We will never ask you for your passwords or passcodes.  ONLY CROOKS DO THAT!
     
  • If anyone calls you and asks for information about your bank accounts or asks for personally identifiable information HANG UP AND CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY.
     
  • Set up online banking alerts to warn you about the status of your accounts and notify you when transactions occur.


You can create and customize your own alerts on the online banking Alerts Page: MENU > SETTINGS > ALERTS

 

Thank you for being alert to this new scam and for remaining ever vigilant against cybercrime.

 

Phishing Scams. Be Very Careful!

Phishing is a type of scam that targets consumers through telephone calls, text messages, or emails.  The message appears to be from a well-known source – a bank, a utility company, or a branch of the government, for example. The scammer asks the consumer to provide personal identifying information and then uses that information to steal from the consumer’s accounts.

Phishing red flags. Text: Asking for a PIN, asking for SSNs, Sharing a one time code. Email: Asking to download an attachment. Forms to fill out. Misspelled words. Phone Call: Asking for addresses, using scare tactics or asking for birthdays. Banks never ask that.

These criminals tend to become very active during holiday weekends because they know their targets can’t easily contact their banks during this time.

Two of the most active scams around holidays are:

PHONE SCAMS (Also known as Voice Phishing or “Vishing”)

TEXT or SMS PHISHING (Also known as “Smishing”)

You don’t need to remember the names of these scams; you just need to know when you are being scammed and how to prevent it!

 

Phone Scams

People lose a lot of money to phone scams — sometimes their life savings. Scammers have figured out countless ways to cheat you out of your money over the phone. In some scams, they act friendly and helpful. In others, they might threaten or try to scare you.

One thing you can count on is that a phone scammer will try to get your money or your personal information to commit identity theft.

 

How to Recognize a Phone Scam:

Phone scams come in many forms, but they tend to make similar promises and threats, or ask you to pay certain ways. Here’s how to recognize a phone scam:

Banks and government agencies won’t call to confirm your sensitive information

Never give out sensitive information like your Social Security number to someone who calls you unexpectedly, even if they say they’re with the Social Security Administration, the IRS, or your bank.

 

You won’t be arrested

Scammers might pretend to be law enforcement or a federal agency. They might say you’ll be arrested, fined, or deported if you don’t pay taxes or some other debt right away. The goal is to scare you into paying. But real law enforcement and federal agencies won’t call and threaten you.

 

There is no prize

The caller might say you were “selected” for an offer or that you’ve won a lottery. But if you have to pay to get the prize, it's not a prize.

 

You don’t need to decide now

Most legitimate businesses will give you time to think their offer over and get written information about it before asking you to commit. Take your time. Don’t get pressured into making a decision on the spot.

 

There’s never a good reason to send cash or pay with a gift card

Scammers will often ask you to pay in a way that makes it hard for you to get your money back — by wiring money, putting money on a gift card, prepaid card or cash reload card, or using a money transfer app. Anyone who asks you to pay that way is a scammer.

 

Examples of Common Phone Scams:

Any scam can happen over the phone. But here are some common angles phone scammers like to use:

 

Imposter scams

A scammer pretends to be someone you trust — a government agency like the Social Security Administration or the IRS, a family member, a love interest, or someone claiming there’s a problem with your computer. The scammer can even have a fake name or number show up on your caller ID to convince you.

 

Debt relief and credit repair scams

Scammers will offer to lower your credit card interest rates, fix your credit, or get your student loans forgiven if you pay their company a fee first. But you could end up losing your money and ruining your credit.

 

Charity scams

Scammers like to pose as charities. Scams requesting donations for disaster relief efforts are especially common on the phone. Always check out a charity before you give, and don’t feel pressured to give immediately over the phone before you do.

 

Extended car warranties

Scammers find out what kind of car you drive and when you bought it so they can urge you to buy overpriced - or worthless - service contracts.

 

“Free” trials

A caller might promise a free trial but then sign you up for products - sometimes lots of products - that you’re billed for every month until you cancel.

 

How to Stop Calls from Scammers:

Hang up

Even if it’s not a scammer calling, if a company is calling you illegally, it’s not a company you want to do business with. When you get a robocall, don't press any numbers. Instead of letting you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, it might lead to more robocalls.


Don’t trust your caller ID

Scammers can make any name or number show up on your caller ID. That’s called spoofing. So even if it looks like it’s a government agency like the Social Security Administration calling, or like the call is from a local number, it could be a scammer calling from anywhere in the world.


 

Don’t Be Fooled By Spoofing

There has been a recent uptick in attempts to steal bank customers’ money by crooks who use spoofing to gain customers’ confidence.  (See the article below to find out more about spoofing.) Some of our customers are receiving telephone calls that show our number on their caller ID. The crook will claim to be an employee of ours, and ask for bank account numbers, social security numbers, or other information that they will use to get into your accounts. Don’t be fooled! We would never call you and ask for such information.

If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. And then get in touch with someone you know at our bank and report the scam.

Also, be alert for a similar scam in which the crooks send an email that makes a similar request.

Ignore any suspicious email that claims to be from us and get in touch with someone you know at our bank to report the scam.

Be suspicious. It’s your best defense.

 

Caller ID “Spoofing” Explained

The Federal Communications Commission’s definition of Caller ID Spoofing:

“Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers often use neighbor spoofing, so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, a number of a company, or a government agency that you know and trust. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.”

There was a time when Caller ID told you who is calling you on your telephone or smart phone. Not anymore. Crooks, hackers and scammers now use technology to hide their identity by assuming the identity of others and even the business you depend on. Or they simply show a false area code on your Caller ID that leads you to believe they are nearby when they may actually be in a country thousands of miles away.

Caller ID Spoofing is a widespread and sinister criminal activity.

Recently, some of these crooks have been calling our customers in an effort to get into their bank accounts and steal their money. They use a computer program to make your Caller ID show the telephone number of The Bank of Marion or one of our branches. Sadly, our customers can no longer assume that a call that appears on Caller ID to be from us is always from us.    

Caller ID Spoofing requires you to be vigilant even after you answer a call that Caller ID says is from us. Often a caller’s foreign accent is a clue. A caller’s request for any personal or financial information is a red flag. Hang up immediately and report the call to us.

 

Social Security and Medicare Scam

Senior citizens in our area are being targeted by crooks who call them and say they represent one of  our branches - and then request Social Security or Medicare information. The telephone number that shows up on the victim’s Caller ID may even be the actual telephone number of our branch bank. The crook has “spoofed” the telephone number to make their scam more believable.

The crook then talks the victim into giving him or her personal information that the crook uses to steal money from the victim’s bank account.

Many of these scammers have foreign accents. Most are very clever at gaining the victim’s confidence and working the scam.

Please be aware that our bank NEVER CALLS CUSTOMERS TO ASK FOR SOCIAL SECURITY OR MEDICARE INFORMATION.

If you get such a call, hang up immediately and contact us to report the scam attempt. Failure to do so could cost you thousands of dollars.

Family and friends of senior citizens in our area should warn them of this widespread scam.

 

Text Scam May Endanger Your Accounts

A text scam operation is affecting customers of banks and other financial institutions across the country. Some of our own online banking customers have been scammed. Please be vigilant to safeguard your accounts.

Here’s how this scam works:

Customers receive a text from a scammer claiming to be from our fraud department. The text asks for a YES or NO answer to a question about a fictitious purchase or charge to the customer’s account.

The scammer will then follow the text message with a phone call and attempt to trick the customer into giving his or her card number, PIN, and/or internet banking login information. Our 276-783-3116 telephone number, or our 800 number, shows up on the customer’s caller ID. PLEASE BE AWARE: OUR NUMBER HAS BEEN SPOOFED BY THESE CROOKS!

If the customer gives the scammer sufficient information to log into the customer’s internet banking, the scammer will make Person-to-Person (P2P) transactions to steal the customer’s deposits. 
 

We have taken these temporary emergency measures to thwart this scam:

  • We have temporarily suspended P2P transactions.
  • We have temporarily suspended external cash transfers.
     

Please remember that we never call customers to request their secure access code, card information, account numbers, or PINs. Only crooks and scammers do that!

Don’t be a victim of this scam that begins with an innocent looking TEXT. Hang up if the scammer calls you. Then contact us to report the attempted scam.

Please don’t help a scammer steal your money.

Questions or concerns? Please call 276.783.3116 or 800.772.1807 and ask for our Debit Card Department.

Additional important security advice:

Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.

Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a charity, a government official, or a company that you do business with. In our region, a crook will often pose as a bank employee. Remember: NEVER give out any personal or financial information in response to an unexpected request, whether it comes by a phone call, a text or an email.

 

10 Things You Can Do to Avoid Fraud

From The Bank of Marion Security Department and the Federal Trade Commission

Crooks use clever schemes to defraud millions of people every year. They often combine new technology with old tricks to get people to send money or give out personal information. We offer the following practical tips to help you keep your money and your identity safe:

  • Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a charity, a government official, a family member, or a company that you do business with. In our region, a crook will often pose as an employee of your bank. Remember: NEVER give out any personal or financial information and NEVER send money in response to an unexpected request, whether it comes by a phone call, a text or an email.
  • Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.
  • Don’t pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like loan offers, mortgage assistance, or debt relief. They might even say you’ve won a prize but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they can take your money and disappear. 
  • Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods don’t. Wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram is risky because it’s nearly impossible to get your money back. Government offices and honest companies won’t ask you for advance payments.
  • Talk to someone. Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, consult an expert, or tell a trusted family member or friend.
  • Hang up on robocalls. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, just hang up. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.
  • Be skeptical about free trial offers. Some companies use free trials to sign you up for products and then bill you every month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, research the company and read the cancellation policy. And always review your monthly statements for charges you don’t recognize.
  • Don’t deposit a check from someone who you don’t know and trust. Often, scammers will send people checks and ask that money be wired back to them. By law, banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days, but uncovering a fake check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you will most likely be responsible for repaying the bank.
  • If you use a computer, you can do online searches on a suspected company or product. Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Or search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.
  • Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at ftc.gov/scams. Get the latest tips and advice about scams sent right to your inbox.
  • If you spot a scam, report it at ftc.gov/complaint. Your reports help the FTC and other law enforcement investigate scams and bring crooks to justice.

If a suspected scammer claims to be with The Bank of Marion or any of our branches, hang up and call us at 276.783.3116. Our Security Department is always available to help and advise. If you have an account with us, we can review your account for any suspicious activity.