We’d all like to believe we know a scam when we see one. You probably think, “that could never happen to me…” but every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent phone calls, emails, and text messages from scammers pretending to be from a reputable company, like your bank. These deceptive people, often disguising themselves as your own family members, are trying to entice you to share your personal information and steal directly from your bank accounts.
Our bank in Osage Beach, MO knows how tricky and realistic these scammers can be. That's why we're providing some tips to help our customers better recognize a scam.
Be Aware
Don’t take the bait if something seems off or too good to be true. Be suspicious. Think before you act. The scammer’s goal is to get you to provide information they can use to access your account. Often, they will contact you via a communication that appears valid. They may use a phone number that appears to come from the bank, a similar email address of the bank, or another tactic that closely mimics the bank’s existing communications.
First Bank of the Lake will never initiate contact asking you to verify or provide sensitive account information via a phone call, email, text message, or other forms of communication. As your bank, we already have your personal information, so we don’t ask you for it.
Protect Yourself
If you receive any sort of communication asking for sensitive information or claiming to be from First Bank of the Lake and you did not initiate any sort of inquiry, we encourage you to question the situation, end the communication as soon as possible, and directly contact us to verify what happened.
Keep in mind, we will NEVER ask for your:
- Passwords
- Debit or Credit Card 3-Digit Security Code or Expiration Date
- PIN number
- One-time passcode you receive
- Online Banking Secret Word or Password
- Social Security Number
Be Aware of These Common Scam Attempts:
“GRANDPARENT” SCAM
The scammer pretends to be a panicked family member in need of money to pay for an emergency, such as bail money or a hospital emergency. They often plea for you to not tell anyone, especially the parent of a grandchild.
We’re Here to Help
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