Combating Unsolicited Prescreened Credit and Insurance Offers
Many times, when a customer opens a new loan and or has their credit report pulled, they will receive an abundance of mail from marketers, and some may have GNB Bank’s name on it. These companies are purchasing your data from credit bureaus or have obtained information from public government agencies.
GNB Bank does NOT share customer information with third parties. Law requires these solicitations to indicate they are not affiliated with GNB Bank so please read the fine print.
You may opt out of getting these credit and insurance offers by visiting optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). The major credit bureaus operate the phone number and website. For more information on this topic please visit the Federal Trade Commission website at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/prescreened-credit-insurance-offers.
Security Tips
Protect Yourself Against These Common Scams:
1. Amazon: An email claiming to be from Amazon informs you that there’s been an unauthorized purchase on your account and to call the provided “customer support” number where fake “tech support” representatives try to convince you to provide personal information.
2. Social Security: A call, email or text from a person falsely claiming to be a government employee, warning you of an issue with your Social Security number, account, or benefits. The caller may threaten you with arrest, loss of benefits or suspension of your Social Security number if you do not make a payment.
3. Grandparent: Scammers call and impersonate a grandchild in a crisis situation, begging for immediate financial help. The caller may “spoof” the caller ID to make it appear as if the call is coming from a trusted source. They can gain information by searching social media sites or purchasing data to create a convincing story.
4. Phishing: Scammers use emails, phone calls or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information by pretending to be from a company you know and trust. Emails and text often include fraudulent links or attachments.
5. Microsoft: “Microsoft Support Alert”, "We Couldn't Activate Windows", "WARNING! 41 Threats Found!!!", and other similar messages to this can pop up when you are on your computer. These pop ups typically show up on deceptive/fraudulent sites that users visit inadvertently. This can happen when using a search engine and clicking on results that may then redirect you to a unfamiliar, unintended, and/or invasive apps or ads.
The pop up ads create a sense of urgency and encourage you to immediately contact Microsoft’s tech team to find a resolution for the supposed problem. The phone number listed is a scam and they are wanting access to your computer. Fraudsters will claim to be tech support and try to trick you into paying for services that are not needed. Once you have given them access to your computer, they can find any personal information stored in the machine. If they convince you to pay, they also then have your financial information and cause further fraud.If you see a pop up ad similar to this on your computer, please just close the window and ignore it.
Credit Vs Debit Cards – Which is better when shopping?
While we understand in today’s world debit cards are heavily utilized, we know many people feel a higher level of comfort using their credit card in certain purchasing situations, due to the fact credit cards are not tied directly into their bank account. There are a couple of places that we do encourage consumers to use their GNB credit card rather than their GNB debit card.
Online shopping
Three easy steps can help make your online shopping safer and potentially reduce fraud risk:
1. Begin by choosing reputable retailers and be sure that the website is secure. Look for websites that use “HTTPS” in their web address rather than “HTTP.”
2. Credit cards offer more fraud liability protection than debit cards do, meaning online purchases completed with a credit card come with fewer risks.
3. Add your credit cards to your GNB digital wallet. While storing your credit information on a digital wallet may sound like an easy way to getting hacked, virtual wallets actually may make transactions safer. Digital wallets use multiple forms of security to ensure that your credit card number remains hidden during online shopping transactions. One security step is a unique token is created every time you shop online and that feature makes it very challenging for fraudsters to steal your credit card information.
Filling up at the gas pump:
Gas station fuel pumps can be among the riskiest places to use your debit card. In certain places, gas stations haven’t taken the steps to implement EMV chip readers and credit card skimmers can quickly swipe your information when you pay at the pump. Be diligent when filling up your car by inspecting the card swipe area. Make sure it doesn't appear to be tampered with or appear unusual or suspicious.
FAQ Fraud questions:
Q. I think I am the victim of fraud. I bought an item online and didn’t receive it and/or isn’t what I thought I was buying. What do I do?
A. When situations like this occur, it is best to work through the payment platform and/or online shop where the purchase was made. Most often companies such as Paypal take steps to protect both the seller and the buyer during a transaction. Most companies will have you file a dispute. Once the claim is made, the company will then work to refund your money and ensure the fraudulent seller is removed from the site to prevent additional fraud from occurring.
Q. I have a charge on my account that I did not make. I am worried a fraudster has my account information. Who should I call to have this resolved?
A. As soon as you notice fraudulent charges on your account, please call the bank. We will help you identify the fraudulent charges and guide you through the process of disputing charges.
Tips to Avoid Fraud
- Don’t give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect.
- Resist the pressure to act immediately.
- Talk to someone you trust before taking action.
- Hang up on robocalls and don’t always trust your Caller ID.
- Never pay someone who insists you pay with a gift card or wire funds.
- Shred confidential documents before disposal.
What To Do If You’ve Been the Victim of a Scam
1. Report fraudulent activity to the bank immediately so we can take the proper steps to help mitigate your loss.
2. Report to Federal Trade Commission: www.reportfraud.ftc.gov.
3. Report to Iowa Attorney General’s Office: 1-888-777-4590.
4. File a police report with your local police station.