Have you brushed up on your information pertaining to Phishing scams? Now might be a good time – see our prior posts here, here and here. We’ve seen an increase in phishing scams lately and would like to take the opportunity to remind our customers that:

We have your information on file. We will NEVER call you and ask for account numbers, social security numbers, or access codes.

If you have recently given any of this information over the phone, to a representative claiming to be from Central National Bank, please call our toll free number 1-888-262-5456. Our call center would be happy to assist you in protecting your account from phishers.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued a nationwide warning about a new scam claiming that President Obama will pay consumers’ utility bills through a federal program.

How the Scam Works:

Consumers are being contacted via telephone, fliers, social media and text messages and various other means with claims that President Obama is providing credits or applying payment to utility bills.

To receive the money, scammers claim to need the consumer’s Social Security Number (SSN), financial institution routing number and account number. In return, the consumers are given a fraudulent financial institution routing number to use in order to pay their utility bills through an automated telephone service.

The payment service initially seems to accept the payment but then declines it within a few days of finding the banking information to be invalid. The consumer’s bill has not been paid and his/her SSN and personal financial information have been compromised.

Helpful Tips:

The BBB offers the following tips to help consumers avoid becoming victim of this scam:

• Never provide your SSN, credit card number or banking information to anyone who calls you, regardless of whom they claim to be representing.
• If you receive a call claiming to be your utility company and feel pressured for immediate payment or personal information, hang up and call the customer service number on your utility bill.
• Never allow anyone into your home to check electrical wiring, natural gas pipes or appliances unless you have scheduled an appointment or reported a problem. Also, ask the employee for proper identification.
• Think safety first, always. Do not give in to high pressure tactics for information over the phone or in person.

We have received reports of phone calls from a 206 area code in which an automated message claims that the customer’s debit card has been deactivated, and they are instructed to press 1 to reactivate the card.  This is a vishing scam, and customers are advised to hang up the phone immediately.  Central National Bank does not use automated messages to contact customers about their accounts.  If you have any questions, please call us at 1-888-262-5456.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of fraudulent e-mails that have the appearance of being sent from the FDIC.

The e-mail exhibits the “Subject” line: “SURVEY CODE: STJSPNUPUT”. The “From” line may exhibit variations; however, the messages are similar.

The email states, “You have been chosen by the FDIC to take part in our quick and easy 5 questions survey. In return we will credit $100 to your account just for your time!” The recipient is then instructed to “Click here to Continue.”Recipients should not click on the link provided.

This email and link are fraudulent. Recipients should consider the intent of the email as an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, or to load malicious software onto end users’ computers. As a reminder, the FDIC does not send unsolicited emails to consumers or business account holders.

We are receiving reports of phishing emails being sent from what appears to be coming from our online banking service provider with an email address of customer _service @cm.netteller.com with the subject line of NetTeller Watch Notice. These are “Phishing emails” trying to get customers to click on the embedded access link. These emails are not coming from the bank or our online banking service provider. Please be advised that if you receive an email, that you NOT to clink on the link. It is recommended to permanently delete the email.

Just as a reminder Central National Bank nor our service provider would send an unsolicited email requesting you to provide personal information.

If you have questions feel free to contact our Online Services Department at 1-888-262-5456 or email us atinfo@centralnational.com.

Fake check scams are clever tricks designed to steal your money.  You can avoid becoming a victim by recognizing how the scam works and understanding your responsibility for the checks that you deposit into your account.

If someone you don’t know wants to pay you by check but wants you to wire some of the money back, beware!  It’s a scam that could cost you thousands of dollars.  The following list of tips may help to protect you from becoming a victim of this kind of scam.

• There are many variations of the fake check scam. It could involve someone offering to buy something you advertised, or paying you to work at home.  They may give you an “advance” on a sweepstakes you’ve supposedly won, or pay the first installment on the millions that you’ll receive for agreeing to have money in a foreign country transferred to your bank account for safekeeping.  Whatever the pitch, the person may sound quite convincing.
• Fake check scammers hunt for victims.  They scan newspaper and online advertisements for people listing items for sale, and check postings on online job sites from people seeking employment.  They place their own ads with phone numbers or email addresses for people to contact them.  And they call or send emails or faxes to people randomly knowing that some will take the bait.
• They often claim to be in another country.  The scammers say it’s too difficult and complicated to send you the money directly from their country, so they’ll arrange for someone in the U.S. to send you a check.
• They tell you to wire money to them after you’ve deposited the check. 
• If you’re selling something, they say they’ll pay you by having someone in the U.S. who owes them money send you a check.  It will be for more than the sale price; you deposit the check, keep what you’re owed, and wire the rest to them.
• If it’s part of a work-at-home scheme, they may claim that you’ll be processing checks from their “clients.”  You deposit the checks and then wire them the money minus your “pay.”  Or they may send you a check for more than your pay “by mistake” and ask you to wire them the excess.
• In the sweepstakes and foreign money offer variations of the scam, they tell you to wire them money for taxes, customs, bonding processing, legal fees, or other expenses that must be paid before you can get the rest of the money.
• The checks are fake but they look real.  In fact, they look so real that even bank tellers may be fooled.  Some are phony cashier’s checks; others look like they’re from legitimate business accounts.  The companies whose names appear may be real, but someone has dummied jut the checks without their knowledge.
• You don’t have to wait long to use the money, but that doesn’t mean the check is good.  Under federal law, banks have to make the funds you deposit available quickly – usually within one to five days, depending on the type of check.  But just because you can withdraw the money doesn’t mean the check is good, even if it’s a cashier’s check.  It can take weeks for the forgery to be discovered and the check to bounce.
• You are responsible for the checks you deposit.  That’s because you’re in the best position to determine the risk – you are the one dealing directly with the person who is arranging for the check to be sent to you.  When a check is charged back, the bank deducts the amount that was originally credited to your account.   If there isn’t enough to cover it, they bank will work with you to set up a repayment plan.  There have been cases in which law enforcement authorities have brought charges against the victims because it may look like they were involved in the scam and knew the check was counterfeit.
• There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to wire money back.  If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashiers check for the exact amount, preferably from a local bank or a bank that has a branch in your area.