When it comes to fraud, knowledge is power. Don't be fooled by criminals. Arm yourself by reading the tips below.
Identity Theft Self-Defense Tips:
If you think your identity has been stolen, follow the steps below:
Notify the Institution's fraud division by phone immediately, and do the following:
Be careful when you contact the companies of compromised accounts, as your credit score may be negatively affected if you choose to cancel credit card accounts. Inform the creditor that you have reason to suspect you are the victim of fraud, and ask for the company's policy in situations like these. You may request that the account be assigned a new account number as a solution.
Notify the credit reporting and verification companies.
Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud alert on your credit report. You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other two companies, who will place an alert on your report as well. Placing a 90-day fraud alert on your file should alert creditors to contact you to verify that you want to open a new account.
Notify the police.
File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Then, get a copy of the police report or at the very least, the number of the report. It can help you deal with creditors who need proof of the crime.
Notify the Federal Trade Commission.
If the financial institution is not supporting your efforts, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can file a complaint online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. If you don't have Internet access, call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free: 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
Taking these simple steps will reduce the probability of becoming a victim. While they take some effort, it is time well spent. Recovering your identity once it has been stolen can be frustrating and time consuming.
This gift doesn't come with a bow. It comes with a lock.
At nbkc, we're seriously committed to your online security. That's why we're investing in extra layers of protection for our online banking and Bill Pay customers. It's our gift to you.
Online banking multi-factor authentication is an extra layer of security for your protection. With multi-factor authentication, the online banking user is required to utilize a secure access code at login and when completing high risk transactions. This enhances security for the user by using multiple factors to simultaneously authenticate the user.
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.
What This Means for You
When you open any account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to clearly identify you. We will also ask to see your driver's license or other identifying documents. We will never ask for this information via email. If you do receive an email from someone claiming to represent nbkc, do not reply to the email, and forward the email to: support@nbkc.com
View our privacy policy here.
Debit Card Fraud
Debit cards offer the convenience of pay-as-you-go purchasing without using cash. Unfortunately, criminals can steal the card number, PIN, and even security code and empty an account before the cardholder is aware of the compromise. Criminals do not necessarily need the physical card to access your funds. A new threat called "skimming" allows a thief to capture the debit card magnetic stripe and keypad information with a special device.
Your Defense
Never keep your PIN with your card. When using your card, make sure that no one is watching. If an ATM or a gas pump looks suspicious, it may have a skimming device attached to it. If your card is compromised, it is important to call the bank immediately. During normal business hours, call (913) 253-0170. After hours, please call (800) 528-2273.
Counterfeit Cashier's Checks
As online auction sites, online classified ads and social media have become more popular, so has cashier's check fraud. A typical fraud scenario involves a seller advertising an item on the internet. A buyer agrees to pay full price for the item with a money order or cashier's check. Usually, the buyer is from another country. When the buyer arranges payment, the seller says there is someone in the United States who owes him money. The person who owes the buyer money offers to send the seller a cashier's check for an amount over the purchase price and asks the seller to wire back the difference to the buyer. The seller agrees because the buyer offers a small commission. The seller receives the cashier's check, deposits it, and wires the leftover sum to the buyer. However, the check isn't valid, and the seller is wiring (and losing) their own money.
Fraudulent emails and text messages (phishing attacks) are becoming more common. These emails look like they are from a legitimate bank or credit card company, but indeed they are sent from criminals trying to obtain your bank or credit card information.
To protect yourself, look at the following when trying to determine if an email or text message is fake.
Fraudulent websites often accompany a phishing email which appears legitimate. Use the following tips to determine if a web site is legitimate:
Please be aware of fraudulent automated calls and text messages claiming to be associated with financial institutions. These scams often request that the recipient call a number and disclose confidential financial information.
nbkc will never ask you to provide confidential information through an automatic phone call, text message, or email. As a security measure, a text message may be sent to you to confirm debit card transactions. The message will include only the last four digits of your card number, as well as the amount and the merchant name associated with a particular transaction.
If you receive a call or text message asking you to disclose an account number, card number, or other confidential financial information, please notify us immediately at (913) 253-0170.
Deposit Insurance Myths Debunked
Federal deposit insurance guarantees your deposits are safe in every financial institution insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, including community banks.
Myth: Your money is safer in big banks.
Fact: No one has ever lost a penny of FDIC-insured deposits held in community banks.
The FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor and with titling options for more insurance. Community banks focus on the needs of local families, businesses and farmers, and their top executives are generally available on site to answer your questions directly and make timely decisions.
Myth: Your money is stored in a vault at the bank.
Fact: Community bank deposits are reinvested in your local economy.
Your money on deposit will be used to make loans in the community that help your neighbors start a nearby business, purchase a home, or send a son or daughter to college. Continuing to hold deposits in community banks ensures the neighborhoods where you live and work will continue to grow and thrive.
Myth: Community banks are undercapitalized.
Fact: The vast majority of our nation's banks, especially community banks, are strong, safe and stable.
Community bankers are common sense lenders that don't engage in high-risk activities. Instead, they stick to the longstanding fundamentals of responsible banking, and always seek to serve the long-term interests of their customers and communities.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has become aware of emails, which appear to be sent from the FDIC, asking recipients to download and open a 'personal FDIC insurance file' to check their deposit insurance coverage. These emails are fraudulent and were not sent by the FDIC. The FDIC is attempting to identify the source of the emails and disrupt the transmission.
Currently, the subject line of the fraudulent emails includes the wording "Check your bank deposit insurance coverage." The emails state: "You have received this message because you are a holder of a FDIC-insured bank account. Recently FDIC has officially named the bank you have opened your account with as a failed bank, thus, taking control of its assets."
The e-mails ask recipients to "visit the official FDIC website" by clicking on a hyperlink provided, which appears to be related to the FDIC and directs recipients to a fraudulent web site. The web site includes hyperlinks that appear to open forms. It is believed that clicking the hyperlinks will cause an unknown executable file to be downloaded. While the FDIC is working with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) to determine the exact effects of the executable file, recipients should consider the intent of the software as a malicious attempt to collect personal or confidential information, some of which may be used to gain unauthorized access to online banking services or to conduct identity theft. Financial institutions and consumers should NOT access the web site or download the executable files provided on the web site.
Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes section, 1310 Courthouse Road, Room CH- 11034, Arlington, VA 22201, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at https://www.fdic.gov/contact/.
For your reference, FDIC special alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/alerts/. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC special alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
Antivirus software is one of the most important tools for safe-guarding your devices, vital information, and other personal data from the daily barrage of viruses and worms. Without antivirus protection, your devices may be left defenseless. Remember, your virus protection is only as effective as its last update. New viruses appear all the time. If your antivirus software isn't current, the latest viruses or worms can sneak in. Today's internet has provided many avenues for virus attacks, and enables countless threats. To be safe from these it is vital to protect your devices at all times.
There may come a time when an unsecured, free, public Wi-Fi hotspot is the only connection available. Public Wi-Fi hotspots are especially risky and a frequent target of attackers looking for data to pilfer. Attackers often linger nearby and use tools to intercept unencrypted data. Understanding public Wi-Fi risks will ensure your important data doesn't become just another statistic.
Many applications pretend to be from reputable sources, but often contain scareware, key loggers, or other malware.