Phishing

Peoples Bank of Alabama will never contact you for information via email, telephone, or any other method. Be aware of suspicious email and other communications; If you receive an email claiming to be from Peoples Bank asking for account information, please do not reply or follow any links contained in the email. This is a technique called "phishing".

Phishing is an attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as passwords and account details, by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business in an apparently official electronic communication, such as an email or instant message.

Phishing emails can have a variety of appearances, but the below graphic provides some key things to help you spot a phishing email.

For more information on Phishing and other security protections, visit the FTC’s Privacy, Identity & Online Security page.

Person 2 Person Fraud

More and more people are turning to services called Person 2 Person (P2P) to send money to friends and family. This convenient service allows users to send money almost instantly to just about anyone. As these services become more and more popular, fraudsters are working hard to scam users.

Here are just a few of the red flags to help you detect fraud or a scam:

• The person contacting you about a problem with your bank account is pushy or aggressive.
• They insist there's no other way to fix the problem than following their instructions.
• If it is a text or email, their message has grammatical errors.

By following the safety tips below, you can better protect yourself from scams and fraud:

• DO NOT call the number in the text, email, or voice mail, as it will connect you with the scammers.
• If you received a message from someone claiming a problem with your account, look up the bank's phone number yourself and call them.
• REMEMBER, Peoples Bank of Alabama will NEVER call you asking you for your security code, your account number, your PIN number or any personal identifying information.
• KEEP personal information confidential. NEVER disclose your login credentials, passwords, PIN numbers, account numbers, etc. This is the best practice for everything, not just P2P.
• Utilize features such as multi-factor authentication and bio-metric recognition. Peoples Bank of Alabama online banking offers face recognition as one way to better protect your login credentials to your accounts.

If you feel that you have been scammed, report it! First, to the P2P service then to the FTC. With the information provided, the FTC can work to build a case against the scammers. Report scams to the FTC

Scams

Scams come in many different forms. A Phishing email is a common way, but not the only one. The best method for detecting a scam is if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some common types of scams include: Charity Scams, Money Transfer Scams, Phone Scams, Prize or Sweepstakes Scams, and Debt Relief Scams.

While types of scams can change, taking the below precautions can help you avoid becoming a victim.

• Don’t accept checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or electronic fund transfers sent to you with requests for you to wire back part of the money
  
• Avoid unsolicited offers that require you to act fast
• If someone demands secrecy, it’s most likely a scam
  
• Exercise extra caution when donating money after a disaster - only donate to legitimate charitable organizations that you contact first
• If you didn’t register for a sweepstakes or prize drawing, chances are you didn’t win one
• Legitimate debt relief companies won’t make you pay up front; doing so is illegal

For more information on cybersecurity, visit the FDIC’s A Bank Customer’s Guide to Cybersecurity.

Stay up to date on the latest Scams by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s Scams page.

Malware

Malware is shorthand for malicious software. It is software developed by cyber attackers with the intention of gaining access or causing damage to a computer or network, often while the victim remains oblivious to the fact there's been a compromise. Today these attacks usually occur by the victim clicking a link in an email or opening an attachment from an unknown sender.

To protect yourself from these types of attacks, some of the most basic cyber security practices can go a long way.

• Keep your Operating Systems and software patches up to date
• Use a security software and keep it updated
• NEVER click on links or open attachments in emails from unknown sources
• Only download content from trusted websites
• Use strong passwords and log out of websites after you're done
• Never use any unknown data storage device (USB flash drive, DVD/CD, external hard drive, etc.)

Malware is an increasingly dangerous threat. To learn more visit the FTC’s Malware page.

Setup Alerts for Almost Instant Notifications

One of the best ways to protect your accounts is to setup alerts through online and mobile banking. These alerts can be delivered via email, text or push notification. With push notifications, you know what's going on with your accounts right on your phone almost instantly without having to sign-in.

Protect Your Debit Card with MyCardRules^TM

With the MyCardRules™ App, you get almost total control over your debit card. Available for both Apple® and Android™ devices, our app gives you the ability to:

• Turn your card On or Off
• Set transaction spending limits
• Get instant alerts
• Restrict usage based on location
• Set parental controls & monitoring