First State Bank Of Bloomington IL | Prevent Fraud and Identity Theft

Fraud

Notice of ATM/Night Deposit Facility User Precautions

As with all financial transactions, please exercise discretion when using an automated teller machine (ATM) or night deposit facility. For your own safety, be careful. The following suggestions may be helpful.

Prepare for your transactions at home (for instance, by filling out a deposit slip) to minimize your time at the ATM or night deposit facility.
Mark each transaction in your account record, but not while at the ATM or night deposit facility. Always save your ATM receipts. Don't leave them at the ATM or night deposit facility because they may contain important account information.
Compare your records with the account statements you receive.
Don't lend your ATM card to anyone.
Remember, do not leave your card at the ATM. Do not leave any documents at a night deposit facility.
Protect the secrecy of your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Protect your ATM card as though it were cash. Don't tell anyone your PIN. Don't give anyone information regarding your ATM card or PIN over the telephone. Don't write your PIN where it can be discovered. For example, don't keep a note of your PIN in your wallet or purse.
Prevent others from seeing you enter your PIN by using your body to shield their view.
If you lose your ATM card or if it is stolen, promptly notify us. You should consult the other disclosures you have received about electronic fund transfers for additional information about what to do if your card is lost or stolen.
When you make a transaction, be aware of your surroundings. Look out for suspicious activity near the ATM or night deposit facility, particularly if it is after sunset. At night, be sure that the facility (including the parking area and walkways) is well lighted. Consider having someone accompany you when you use the facility, especially after sunset. If you observe any problem, go to another ATM or night deposit facility.
Don't accept assistance from anyone you don't know when using an ATM or night deposit facility.
If you notice anything suspicious or if any other problem arises after you have begun an ATM transaction, pocket your card and leave. You might consider using another ATM or coming back later.
Don't display your cash; pocket it as soon as the ATM transaction is completed and count the cash later when you are in the safety of your own car, home, or other secure surrounding.
At a drive-up facility, make sure all the car doors are locked and all of the windows are rolled up, except the driver's window. Keep the engine running and remain alert to your surroundings.
We want the ATM and night deposit facility to be safe and convenient for you. Therefore, please tell us if you know of any problem with a facility. For instance, let us know if a light is not working or there is any damage to a facility. Please report any suspicious activity or crimes to both the operator of the facility and the local law enforcement officials immediately.

Internet Phishing

Internet Phishing is the criminal practice of sending seemingly legitimate emails instructing you to click on a link in the message. This link directs you to a "spoofed" website of a company or financial institution you may have dealings with. These fraudulent websites are deceptive because they cleverly simulate official looking logos or financial symbols. At the website you will be asked to submit personal information such as your account numbers, passwords or PINs. This information can then be used to commit a variety of crimes; from draining your accounts to obtaining credit cards in your name. What can you do to protect yourself?

Be suspicious - Be wary of any email that is awkwardly worded. Many of these scams originate outside the U.S. The financial institutions you have a relationship with should never be emailing you to ask for the information these emails request.
Never click on the link to the website included in the email - If you are at all concerned that the email is legitimate, you should type the web address you have on file for the financial institution in a new browser window. You can also call the financial institution. However, never call the number listed in the email. Rely on a number you know to be legitimate when contacting the institution.
Check to see if the website is secure - If a website doesn't display the locked padlock or key icon used to indicate a secure website do not use it to transmit personal or financially sensitive information!

Counterfeit Checks

Counterfeit checks that look like official cashier's checks, money orders or teller checks are becoming easier for scammers to make using personal computers. These fraudulent checks are appearing with alarming frequency. Thieves know that people tend to think of official looking check as a safe way to transact money, and they play on trusting people's good will. Counterfeit check scams are often carried out in one of the following ways:

The counterfeit may be sent as a payment for an item you advertised for sale - This is particularly true for more expensive items and items sold over the internet.
The counterfeit may be sent in association with lottery or prize winnings for a contest that you never even entered - Don't let internet thieves fool you with an offer that is simply too good to be true.
The counterfeit may be sent as payment for a "work-at-home" job.

As in the case of the frequently appearing Nigerian Overpayment Scam, the payor is usually from a foreign country and the amount of the check received is typically more than the amount agreed upon. The payor will give an excuse as to why this excess amount was included and instruct you to return the overpayment to the payor as quickly as possible. The catch is, when you endorse and deposit or cash the check you become responsible for the funds; not the receiving bank and not the paying bank. You can't assume that just because the bank has made the funds "available" that the check has cleared.

If the check is discovered to be a counterfeit weeks later, you may be asked to reimburse the bank the entire amount of the check.

The overpayment amount you already sent back to the scam artist will likely never be recovered! What steps should you take to defend yourself from this scheme?

Never agree to a deal requiring you to send back an overpayment of excess funds - No legitimate business or buyer should ever ask you to do this for them. If you do deposit or cash the counterfeit check and send the overpayment back, you run the very likely risk of being stung with a loss of thousands of dollars when you are asked to refund the full amount of the fraudulent check.

If you receive a check and you are concerned about it's legitimacy, we encourage you to take the following steps:

Bring the check in to one of our managers - We will assist you in determining whether or not the check is authentic.
Call the paying bank identified on the check - The paying bank can verify the authenticity of the check as well as the payor. Don't attempt to contact the bank by calling any telephone number printed on the check itself. If the check is a fraud, that number will likely put you in contact with the scammer's partner in crime. Instead you are urged to use a verifiable number for the institution. A legitimate number can be found by calling information, searching on the internet or looking on the institution's published advertising. When your call is answered at the bank, ask to speak with the fraud department.
Consider requesting that any payments be drawn on a local institution or an institution with a local branch - This way you can verify the authenticity of the check in person.
Do not withdraw cash or write checks against the deposited funds until the check has officially cleared - If the check is payment for an item, you may want to wait to deliver the item until the check clears.

Scammers and thieves are continually seeking way to exploit technology for the purposes. We hope that this guide will prove helpful by alerting you to existing schemes and education you on ways to identify and protect your finances in the future.

If you think you have been victimized, contact us immediately. We can provide the necessary resources and guidance to help you minimize your exposure to risk.

Avoid Becoming a Victim of Identity Theft

Identity theft is a growing problem. Many people across the country have become victims of this crime. Here are a few basic steps you should follow to avoid being a victim of identity theft:

Don't give out personal information. Never reveal your account numbers, personal account information or social security numbers over the telephone, via mail or over the internet, unless you initiated the contact or know who you are dealing with.
Store your personal information in a safe place. Tear up old credit card and ATM receipts, old account statements and unused credit card offers before you discard them.
Protect your PIN numbers and other passwords. Avoid using information that can be easily obtained. (Such as your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your social security number or your phone number). Don't leave your receipts behind or throw them in the trash where thieves can easily retrieve them.
Carry only identifying information you routinely use . Keep your driver's license, credit card and related items close at hand.
Watch your account information and billing statements. Know your billing cycles and review monthly billing statements carefully. Make sure that all charges, drafts or withdrawals were authorized.
Guard your mail against theft. Remove incoming mail promptly, and deposit all outgoing mail at post office collection boxes. Don't leave outgoing mail in your mailbox.
Review copies of your credit report. Order copies of your credit report yearly from each of the three major credit bureaus to ensure that they are reporting accurate information.

To order a credit report, call:

Equifax: 800-685-1111
Experian: 888-397-3742
Trans Union:
800-888-4213

If you become a victim of identity theft, do the following:

File a police report.
Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus to report the identity theft and request that the bureaus place a fraud alert status in your file.

To report fraud, call:

Equifax: 800-525-6285
Experian: 888-397-3742
Trans Union: 800-680-7289
Contact the Federal Trade Commission's toll-free Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-ID-THEFT. The FTC will take a report and place your name in a nationwide consumer fraud database shared by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Contact your creditors and inform them of your being a victim of identity theft. Close your accounts, change all account passwords, and obtain new credit, debit, and ATM cards.