E-mail Phishing

Central Bank is very focused on customer security and would like to make you aware of a rapidly growing threat called “phishing”  (pronounced “fishing”). The number of reported incidences by other financial institutions for this type of identity theft has grown rapidly in the last year. Being conscience of this risk, and other fraudulent schemes, can prevent you from being a victim.

Phishing usually involves the use of seeming legitimate e-mail messages and Internet Web sites to deceive consumers into disclosing sensitive information including: user names, passwords, PINs, social security numbers, account numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal information. Usually the perpetrators of this type of scam will send an e-mail message claiming to be from a financial institution and have a link to a website where customers can update or validate their information. Central Bank will not send any e-mails with links to our website or request any confidential information through an e-mail, if you receive such an e-mail, please notify us and do not follow any instructions in the e-mail message.

Some simple tips you can follow to help outwit identification thieves are:

1. Never directly respond to an e-mail message asking for personal information.
2. If you doubt a message’s authenticity, verify it by contacting the institution itself.
3. Avoid non-valid websites by typing the Web addresses directly into the address line on your browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape).
4. If you believe you are at a non-legitimate website, enter an incorrect user name and password. A phishing site may accept them; a legitimate website will not.
5. Forward the fraudulent spam to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov or call 877-382-4357.

If you would like more information about phishing and other security issues please visit www.fdic.gov or www.ftc.gov.

Central Bank believes Internet Banking is still one of the most secure and convenient ways for you to manage your accounts and we hope you agree. If you have any questions about security, or other issues related to your accounts, please feel free to contact us at (712) 732-2190.