Education Center

ATM Safety Tips

Today, you can enjoy the convenience of getting cash where you live, work and shop. Our ATMs are located at 1414 West 11th and 901 Northeast Street, Coffeyville. And because a Debit card gives you fast, easy and reliable access to your accounts, you’ll want to use caution every time you visit an ATM. Here are a few simple tips:

1. Observe your surroundings. If the ATM is obstructed from view or poorly lit, go to another machine.
2. Take along a friend, if you can, especially at night.
3. Be prepared. Have your card in hand when you approach the ATM.
4. Look out for suspicious activity. If you feel uneasy, cancel your transaction and leave the area immediately.
5. Don’t display your cash. Put it away immediately and always take your receipt.
6. If you leave your car to walk to an ATM, always lock the car before approaching the machine.
7. If you drive up to an ATM, be sure to keep your doors locked and engine running while conducting your transaction.
8. If you are followed after using an ATM, go to a crowded, well-lit area and call the police.
9. Always keep your PIN private. Never write it on anything in your wallet or on the card itself.

Report any incident immediately to your financial institution and the police.

Phishing Scams

Internet Pirates Are Trying to Steal Your Personal Financial Information

Here’s the Good News: You Have the Power to Stop Them

A common type of Internet piracy called “phishing”, pronounced “fishing,” is exactly what these thieves are doing: “fishing” for your personal financial information. What they want are account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, and other confidential information that they can use to loot your checking account or run up bills on your credit cards.

In the worst case, you could find yourself a victim of identity theft. With the sensitive information obtained from a successful phishing scam, these thieves can take out loans or obtain credit cards and even driver’s licenses in your name. They can do damage to your financial history and personal reputation that can take years to unravel. But if you understand how phishing works and how to protect yourself, you can help stop this crime.

Here’s how phishing works:

In a typical case, you’ll receive an e-mail, text message or phone call that appears to come from a reputable company that you recognize and do business with, such as your financial institution. In some cases, the communication may appear to come from a government agency, including one of the federal financial institution regulatory agencies.

The communication will probably warn you of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention. It may use phrases, such as “Immediate attention required,” or “Please contact us immediately about your account.”

The communication will then encourage you to click on a button to go to the institution’s Web site. In a phishing scam, you could be redirected to a phony Web site that may look exactly like the real thing. Sometimes, in fact, it may be the company’s actual Web site. In those cases, a pop-up window will quickly appear for the purpose of harvesting your financial information. In either case, you may be asked to update your account information or to provide information for verification purposes: your Social Security number, your account number, your password, or the information you use to verify your identity when speaking to a real financial institution, such as your mother’s maiden name or your place of birth. If you provide the requested information, you may find yourself the victim of identity theft.

The best course of action is to ignore these types of communications. Delete any e-mails or texts that ask you to click on a link or provide personal information, and don’t give out any information over the phone unless you know who you are talking to.

Cybersecurity Tips

• Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited request, whether it is over the phone or over the Internet. E-mails and Internet pages created by phishers may look exactly like the real thing. They may even have a fake padlock icon that ordinarily is used to denote a secure site. If you did not initiate the communication, you should not provide any information.
• If you believe the contact may be legitimate, contact the financial institution yourself. You can find phone numbers and Web sites on the monthly statements you receive from your financial institution, or you can look the company up in a phone book or on the Internet. The key is that you should be the one to initiate the contact, using contact information that you have verified yourself.
• Never provide your password over the phone or in response to an unsolicited Internet request. A financial institution would never ask you to verify your account information online. Thieves armed with this information and your account number can help themselves to your savings.
• Review account statements regularly to ensure all charges are correct. If your account statement is late in arriving, call your financial institution to find out why. If your financial institution offers electronic account access, periodically review activity online to catch suspicious activity.
• Never click on the link provided in an e-mail or text you believe is fraudulent. It may contain a virus that can contaminate your computer or phone. If you believe the contact is legitimate, go to the company’s Web site by typing in the site address directly or using a page you have previously bookmarked, instead of a link provided in the e-mail.
• Do not be intimidated by an e-mail or caller who suggests dire consequences if you do not immediately provide or verify financial information.

Fraud

What to do if you fall victim:

• Contact your financial institution immediately and alert it to the situation.
• If you have disclosed sensitive information in a phishing attack, you should also contact one of the three major credit bureaus and discuss whether you need to place a fraud alert on your file, which will help prevent thieves from opening a new account in your name. Here is the contact information for each bureau’s fraud division:

  Equifax 800-525-6285 P.O. Box 740250 Atlanta, GA 30374

  Experian 888-397-3742 P.O. Box 1017 Allen, TX 75013

  TransUnion 800-680-7289 P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92634

• Report all suspicious contacts to the Federal Trade Commission through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.

Debit Card Fraud

If you believe you have Fraud on your debit card, call us at 620-251-1313 immediately. If it is after hours or your card has been blocked, call 855-961-1602.

Identity Theft

If you fall victim to an attack, act immediately to protect yourself. Alert your financial institution. Place fraud alerts on your credit files. Monitor your credit files and account statements closely. Report suspicious e-mails or calls to the Federal Trade Commission through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.

FDIC Consumer Alerts

• Cybersecurity - Phishing & Identity Theft
  
• FDIC Consumer Protection
• Credit Reports