Be Very Cautious of Scams During the Next Several Months
The health and safety of our employees and customers remains at the forefront of decisions made by Capitol Bank on a daily basis. With this in mind, we are encouraging our customers to be mindful of safety as it pertains to your personal and financial information. We all need to be more diligent than ever when it comes to awareness of potential scams that will likely surge during the next few months. Unfortunately, scammers and hackers often take advantage of scenarios like the one we are facing, where there is widespread effect on the public.
Be skeptical of anyone calling, texting or emailing over the next few months claiming they are the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization or any branch of government. Be wary of solicitation from anyone that is contacting you with claims regarding the coronavirus.
In regards to Capitol Bank specifically, we have many IT and data-related monitoring systems in place to detect potential threats to our systems and information. We also have a committee that meets regularly to assess our practices and address methods for continuous improvement and additional monitoring. Please be assured we are proactive in keeping your data safe.
Below are links to a few excellent resources with information on potential coronavirus scams.
- https://www.bbb.org/us/news
- https://www.doj.state.wi.us/news-releases/ag-kaul-warns-wisconsin-residents-covid-19-scams-and-price-gouging
- https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2020/03/06/defending-against-covid-19-cyber-scams
- https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing
- https://staysafeonline.org/press-release/ncsa-encourages-coronavirus-vigilance/
A few general tips to remember when it comes to protecting yourself from scammers and hackers:
- Never give out personal data in response to an unsolicited request.
- Don’t always believe your caller ID; it may look like they are calling from someone else’s number.
- If you’re unsure if an inquiry is legitimate, ask them for a phone number to call them back. Most likely, they will hang up immediately.
- If the request is urgent or time-sensitive, do not react. They are hoping you will be hasty. Take the time to research who has contacted you to find out if their request is legitimate.
- Even if you know the sender of an email, don’t assume it is safe. If you’re not sure, call your contact to verify the legitimacy of the email before clicking on links or opening attachments.
- Set up double authentication on any devices or logins that you can. For example, set up security questions that follow a password entry and make them specific.
- Monitor your accounts regularly. If something looks incorrect or you sense an account has been compromised, notify the applicable financial institution immediately.
- Always remember, if something sounds too good to be true it probably is.
We hope this information helps you to be more diligent in protecting your personal and financial data. If you’ve experienced a disruption to your finances due to the coronavirus crisis, please call us to discuss your personal situation and learn how we may be able to help. Visit www.capitolbank.com/about/contact-us or call us at 608.836.1616.
