Phishing for Your Money Keeping your money safe and secure is partly about vigilance and knowing how to spot a scammer. Today, we will outline one of the ways fraudsters attempt to take your money, phishing. How Phishing Works Scammers contact victims by email, telephone or text message posing as a legitimate entity to trick the unsuspecting individual into… Read More
Check Fraud: Simple Tips to Protect Your Money The check has been a popular form of payment dating back to Roman times. Although there’s been a decline in check usage due to the rise of digital payment services, some forms of check fraud are actually on the rise, according to reports. But how are fraudsters scamming check users? The answer may surprise you.… Read More
Beware of Crypto Criminals: How to Avoid Getting Scammed With rising inflation and skyrocketing prices, it’s no wonder folks are looking for ways to maximize their money, including cryptocurrency investments. According to reports, digital currencies experienced massive growth over the past decade, with nearly 60 million U.S. users in 2021. Unfortunately, where there’s money, there are scammers ready and poised to take it. Today,… Read More
5 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft and What to Do If You’re a Victim If you think identity theft could never happen to you, think again. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received an astounding 1.4 million identity theft reports. Combined with other fraud cases, the total loss amounted to over $5.9 billion. But identity theft doesn’t have to happen to you. Here are some steps you can… Read More
10 Common Scams You Should be Aware Of With cybersecurity awareness on the rise, it’s important to stay up to date on the most common fraud scams that take advantage of innocent consumers daily. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission recorded around 2.8 million consumer fraud reports just last year. Here are 10 common fraud scams you should be aware of to ensure… Read More
Card Fraud is Soaring: Here’s How to Protect Yourself According to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) most recent study, consumers reported nearly 400,000 credit card fraud cases in 2021, resulting in losses totaling over $180 million. While card fraud is an unfortunate reality for many, with some preparation and vigilance, you can prevent becoming a victim. Here’s where to start. Secure Important Documents Your… Read More
Latest Scam Alert: Avoid Becoming a Victim of Donation Fraud Unfortunately, when disaster strikes, criminals often use tragedies to exploit those who want to help. Donation fraud can happen at any time and has become even easier to commit because of current technology. With the Marshall and Middle Fork fires in Colorado, FirstBank is here to help protect you from scammers who want to take… Read More
Millennials Are More Likely to be Fraud Victims Than Their Parents Millennials are widely — and correctly — regarded as tech-savvy, digital enthusiasts. But when it comes to e-commerce, the surprising truth is that millennials are 25% more likely to report losing money to fraud than people over the age of 40, according to the FTC. Analysts have suggested that traits unique to the millennial generation… Read More
Online Shopping Has Changed Fraud, Here’s How to Protect Yourself Shopping is increasingly done online, and unfortunately fraud has followed suit. According to national credit reporting agency, TransUnion, suspected eCommerce fraud increased by 12 percent during the first month of the COVID pandemic. Luckily, we’re here to offer some helpful advice that can help protect you from becoming a victim. More online transactions can make… Read More
Latest Scam Alert: Unemployment Insurance Fraud The Scam The pandemic has caused unemployment claims to sustain record levels, which has also led to an increase in unemployment insurance fraud. Scammers are posing as their victims and using stolen identities to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims online. According to the FBI, fraudsters are obtaining personal information from phishing schemes, cold calling victims,… Read More