E-mail Fraud – "Phishing"

Farmers State Bank will not verify or update confidential customer information via e-mail. Fraudulent e-mails often attempt to obtain personal or account information such as your credit/debit card number, account password, ATM PIN, Social Security Number, mother's maiden name, or other sensitive information. The email may include a link to a Web page asking you to update or verify your account information. These fraudulent e-mails and Web pages may look legitimate. You should never respond to these emails or click on the links in these emails.

To Learn more about how to protect yourself http://www.occ.treas.gov/Consumer/phishing.htm

Identity Theft

According to the Federal Trade Commission identity theft is one the fastest growing crimes in America. Identity theft occurs when a criminal uses another person's personal information to take on that person's identity. Information such as name, date of birth, social security number, bank account numbers, mother's maiden name, etc., can help a criminal impersonate another individual.

Internet Fraud – Pharming

Pharming is an attempt to steal personal information by redirecting internet users from legitimate business websites to fraudulent ones. The fraudulent websites look like legitimate sites, but the pharmer captures the user’s login name and password information when entered.

The scam works in two different ways. The pharmer may infect your computer with a virus; when you type in a web address, the virus within your computer will take you to a fraudulent website. The pharmer may also hack into your service provider’s server and change the numerical address of the website to the numerical address of their fraudulent website. Either way the pharmer can capture your personal information without you knowing about it.

Ways to avoid pharming attacks:

• Regularly update the version of anti-virus and anti-spyware software on your computer.
  
• Exercise caution when running programs.
  
• Update your browser and operating system software on a regular basis.
  
• Install personal firewalls.
  
• When entering personal information make sure the web address in your browser starts with “https” – which indicates a secure site.  If it starts with just “http”, then it probably is not a secure site.
  
• Verify who owns the website by double clicking on the padlock icon and viewing the security certificate. A fraudulent website either will not have one or it will be owned by an entity, possibly foreign, that appears to be unrelated.

If you have any questions or concerns about any of the information listed above, please contact us at 605-928-7991 or e-mail us at fsb@fsbparkston.com.