Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information.

Phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with for example, financial institution, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to update or validate your account information, and express the immediate need to reply. It might threaten some direct consequence if you don't respond. The message directs you to a Web site that looks just like a legitimate organizations site, but it isn't. The purpose of the bogus site? To trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name.

We would like to remind you that Village Bank will never ask you for your financial information via email or other electronic transmission.  If you feel you may be a victim of phishing, please contact us at fraudprevention@villagebankonline.com.

How to Spot a Phishing Scam

• Requests for personal information - Fraudulent e-mails usually ask for personal or account information such as:
  • Account numbers 
  • Mother's maiden name 
  • Date of birth 
  • Social Security numbers 
  • Credit and check card numbers 
  • Online banking user IDs and passwords 
  • Other confidential information
    
• The Use of Non-secure Web pages - Thieves can build a fake Web site that looks nearly identical to an authentic one. They can alter the URL (Web address) that appears in your browser window. Watch out for non-secure Web pages that ask for sensitive information (secure sites will typically display a gold lock in the status bar at the bottom of your browser window, as the authentic Village Bank website does when using online banking services).
  
• Language and tone - The message you receive may urge you to act quickly by portraying that your account is threatened. It may state that if you fail to update, verify or confirm your personal or account information, access to your accounts will be relinquished or suspended. The wording may also be sloppy, unprofessional or contain misspellings.

Safety Tips for Minimizing Your Risk

• If you receive an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply or click on the link in the message. Please remember that Village Bank will never ask for your personal financial information in an email message.  If you are concerned about a possible scam or think you may have given out your personal Village Bank account information, please contact our Network Administrator at fraudprevention@villagebankonline.com to verify the authenticity of the request or contact us. In any case, do not cut and paste the link in the message. 
• You may also forward the email to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov, or contact them at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). 
  
• Do not email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through our website, look for indicators that it is our authentic site such as the lock icon on the status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.
  
• Review your credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to determine whether there are any unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, contact us to confirm your billing address and account balances.
  
• Use anti-virus software and keep it up to date. Some phishing emails contain software (known as Spyware) that can harm your computer or track your activities on the internet without your knowledge. Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage, and updates automatically.
  • Some suggestions include:
    • http://www.symantec.com/index.htm
    • http://www.mcafee.com/us/
      
• Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them.

To Learn More About Phishing

To learn more about phishing and internet scams, you can visit The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) at http://www.occ.gov/consumer/phishing.htm or via email at Customer.Assistance@occ.treas.gov. 

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. You can visit their website at www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.       

The FTC enters internet, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to educate yourself on how law enforcement officials fight internet crime, track fraud trends, and inform yourself about additional tips in protecting your personal privacy.