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| |
Bloomfield State Bank's Alerts Site:
alerts from the FDIC can be found at
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/
|
Fraudulent e-mails from FDIC
(added 3-18-08) |
The Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous notifications
from consumers of an e-mail that gives the appearance of
being sent from the FDIC. The "From" line of the e-mail
displays the name "Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
<consumer@fdic.gov>" and the subject includes the words
"Consumer Protection."
Current versions of the fraudulent
e-mail state:
"Who is FDIC?
The Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (FDIC) preserves and promotes public
confidence in the U.S. financial system by insuring
deposits in banks.
What can FDIC do for you?
Despite the efforts of law
enforcement, Identity theft is becoming more
sophisticated and the number of new victims is growing.
In general, consumers are protected against liability
for unauthorized accounts or transactions under federal
and state law and by financial industry practices.
Identity Theft can affect consumers in many ways, thats
[sic] why FDIC is presenting a new card insurance which
can restore you up to $500 if you are a victim of
internet fraud. Learn more about Consumer Protection >
Card Insurance: Clicking here will redirect you
to a online signup page for this program."
The e-mail requests that recipients
click on a hyperlink that is provided. This directs the
recipient to a "spoofed" Web page requesting the user to
enter personal information to receive $500 of "card
insurance." The requested information (name, phone
number, Social Security number, address, card number,
bank name, card expiration date, card verification code,
and electronic signature/ATM PIN) could be used to
perpetrate identity theft and gain unauthorized
access to bank accounts. Be aware that
the appearance of the fraudulent e-mails can be modified
and that additional variations are possible.
Consumers should NOT access the link
provided within the body of the e-mail and should NOT,
under any circumstances, provide any personal financial
information through this media.
The FDIC has shut down the fraudulent
Web site and is investigating the source of the e-mails.
Consumers are asked to report any similar attempts to
obtain this information to the FDIC by sending
information to alert@fdic.gov.
Information about counterfeit items,
cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may
be forwarded to the FDIC’s Cyber-Fraud and Financial
Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004,
Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to
alert@fdic.gov. Questions related to federal
deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted
to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at
http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.
For your reference, FDIC Special
Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC’s Web site at
www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2008/index.html.
To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special
Alerts through e-mail, please visit
www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
Sandra L. Thompson
Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer
Protection
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|
Advance Fee Loan Scams
(added 3-18-08) |
The Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (FDIC) is reminding consumers and financial
institutions to be aware of advance fee loan scams. The
FDIC has observed a significant increase in the number
of unsolicited e-mails ("spam") advertising mortgage
refinancing, debt consolidation and elimination, small
business loans, and special loan programs for veterans
and minorities. While some of these e-mails may
advertise legitimate loan programs and lenders, advance
fee loan scams are becoming more prevalent.
Advance fee loan scams prey on
consumers who may be under financial duress and may be
seeking quick and easy loan approval and funding. The
scam typically involves the lender making false promises
to arrange for a loan in return for fees paid upfront by
the loan applicant. Scam artists may even design Web
sites and online loan applications giving the appearance
that the company is legitimate.
Fraudulent logos and letterhead of
legitimate financial institutions or government agencies
may also appear on documents that are faxed to the loan
applicant. Potential borrowers may be asked to provide
information through a Web site or be contacted by phone
or e-mail by a "representative" who guarantees loan
approval as soon as the borrower pays a required fee.
The loan applicant may be told that the fees will be
used to pay a third party for loan insurance or
application processing, or to make the first month's
loan payment. The loan applicant may also be told to
send or wire transfer money to an individual overseas
before receiving the loan proceeds.
In some cases, the loan applicant has
been falsely directed to a legitimate financial
institution with no knowledge of the transaction. In
other cases, the loan applicant is told that the loan
request was declined and is asked to forward additional
money to qualify for a different loan program.
The following are warning signs that
may indicate a loan offer is not legitimate:
* The loan approval is "guaranteed."
Lenders do not typically guarantee loans before
analyzing the applicant's financial condition, credit
history and ability to repay.
* The loan applicant is required to
pay upfront fees to a third party or individual. Loan
fees are normally paid to a business after the loan has
been approved.
* The lender or loan processor may be
located outside of the United States.
* Fees are requested using a retail
wire transfer system. A password is sometimes used by
the overseas receiver to pick up the funds in an attempt
to hide the true identity of the criminals and make
funds more difficult to trace.
Victims of online advance loan fee
scams should report the crimes to the Internet Crime
Complaint Center at
http://www.ic3.gov/.
More information about fraudulent advance loan fee scams
can be found at
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/tmarkg/loans.shtm.
For your
reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the
FDIC's Web site at
www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2008/index.html<http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2008/index.html>.
To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special
Alerts through e-mail, please visit
www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html<http://www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html>.
Sandra L.
Thompson
Director
Division of Supervision and Consumer
Protection
|
|
Free
Annual Consumer Credit Report
(added 3-3-08) |
The Fair Credit
Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide
consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and
TransUnion – to provide you with a free copy of your
credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.
The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of
information in the files of the nation’s consumer
reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),
the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the
FCRA with respect to consumer reporting companies.
A credit report includes information on
where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether
you’ve been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy.
Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the
information in your report to creditors, insurers,
employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate
your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or
renting a home.
The three nationwide consumer reporting
companies have set up a central website, a toll-free
telephone number, and a mailing address through which
you can order your free annual report.
To order, visit
http://www.annualcreditreport.com or call
1-877-322-8228.
For more information, visit
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.shtm.
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|
Fraudulent Bloomfield State Bank Phone Calls
(added 12-19-07) |
There has been a report of phone calls that say they are
from Bloomfield State Bank and asking for more
"financial information."
Bloomfield State Bank does not, under any circumstance,
ask for your financial information through phone calls
or any other electronic correspondence.
If you have any questions about our privacy policy,
please consult your local Bloomfield State Bank branch, or by calling
(800)319-6110.
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|
Fraudulent Checks
from North Shore Bank.
(added 11-7-07) |
|
We have
been informed there are several checks from North Shore Bank that are
fraudulent. Most of them are written for $3500.00.
 |
|
Fraudulent E-mails
from ebanking-services.
(added 11-7-07) |
|
Fraudulent e-mails are being sent to consumers from
accountservice@e-services.com. The e-mail is shown below: |
ebanking-services
Dear ebanking-services user,
As part of our security measures, we regularly screen
activity in the ebanking system. We recently contacted
you after noticing an issue on your account. We
requested information from you for the following reason:
Our system detected unauthorized use of a bank account
linked to ebanking accounts.
Attention for all ebanking-services users! Next page -
list of supported banks!
Case ID Number: ebank -6877-687
This is a reminder to log
in to ebanking-services as soon as possible.
Be sure to log in securely by hyperlink below. Once you
log in, you will be provided with new account design and
steps to confirm your account access. We appreciate your
understanding as we work to ensure account safety.
Login by clicking here: (*link
would be here to spoofed site*)
We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Please understand that this is a security measure
intended to help protect you and your account. We
apologize for any inconvenience.
Sincerely,
ebanking-services Support Department
Do not
click on the link in these emails, these are fraudulent. As
always, if you do not see your Passmark image when logging into our
e-banking, please stop and contact E-services Support at 800-319-6110.
|
|
Fraudulent E-mails
from TD Ameritrade.
(added 8-20-07) |
|
Fraudulent e-mails are being sent to consumers from TD
Ameritrade Inc. The e-mail is shown below: |
Dear
TD AMERITRADE member,
TD
AMERITRADE's Technical Department is performing a
scheduled software upgrade.
By clicking on the link below you will begin the
procedure of the member details confirmation.
http://session-82415.ameritrade.com/apps/memberdirectory/start.acpx
These
instructions are to be sent to all TD AMERITRADE
members.
TD AMERITRADE apologizes for the inconveniences caused
to you, and is very grateful for your cooperation.
TD
AMERITRADE, Division of TD AMERITRADE, Inc., member NASD/SIPC.
|
|
Phishing Scam from
BBB.
(added 8-20-07) |
|
The BBB name is being used in a "phishing" scam in which
receipents receive a message from idtheft@bbb.org (which is not
a real address). |
|
BUSINESS/CONSUMER SCAMS
Security Alerts
The BBB name is being used
in a "phishing" scam in
which receipents receive a
message from idtheft@bbb.org
(which is not a real
address). The message
begins:
This is an automated
email that confirms the
registration of your
complaint case number :
filed by your company on
7/29/2007 concerning
Online Identity Theft.
While The Better
Bussiness Bureau Online
does not resolve
individual consumer
problems, your complaint
helps us investigate
fraud, and can lead to
law enforcement action.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU RECEIVE A
FRADULENT EMAIL:
·
Do NOT click on any of the
links or open any of the
attachments.
-
Please help us in our
work with the
authorities by
forwarding the email and
its headers to
phishing@cbbb.bbb.org.
Instructions for Outlook
users are below.
1.
Open the message (not
the attachment), select
‘View’ from the menu, and
then ‘Options’ from the drop
down. Or, right click the
message in the list of
emails and select ‘Options’
from the menu.
2.
At the bottom of the
Message Options dialogue box
that opens is a box labelled
"Internet Headers" which
contains the information we
need to track the attacks.
3.
Select the
information in the box and
copy it by hitting Ctrl-C on
your keyboard, or
right-clicking your mouse
and selecting "Copy."
4.
Close the dialogue
box and select "Forward" in
the message. Paste the
headers at the top of the
message and address the
email to
phishing@cbbb.bbb.org.
Thank you for your diligence
and help in stopping these
malicious attacks.
Special thanks to Patti
Quiring with Quiring
Associates, Inc. for
alerting the BBB. |
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Fraudulent
Correspondence Claiming to Be From the FDIC
(added 7-5-07) |
|
Fraudulent correspondence bearing the
FDIC's name continues to be mailed, faxed and e-mailed. This
correspondence is being used in illegal schemes to collect
sensitive personal information, such as bank account numbers,
and to steal money and other assets. |
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is reminding financial
institutions, businesses and consumers that fraudulent correspondence
claiming to be from the FDIC continues to be mailed, faxed and e-mailed
in the United States and other countries. The correspondence uses
various techniques to gain the trust of recipients in hopes they will
provide sensitive personal information, including bank account numbers,
that can be used to steal money and other assets. Recipients should NOT,
under any circumstances, respond to the fraudulent requests.
Institutions also are encouraged to inform customers that fraud artists
may use the names of the FDIC and other government agencies and to take
appropriate precautions.
The criminals, knowing that people trust the FDIC name, have duplicated
the official logo and seal in fraudulent letters, forms, certificates
and other correspondence. Recent examples have included invoices, bills,
transfer forms, guarantees, endorsements, and confirmations of stock and
investment purchases. In some cases, recipients were asked to complete
fraudulent forms and return them by fax or e-mail. In other cases,
recipients were asked to remit funds via check or wire transfer service.
The FDIC rarely sends unsolicited bills or other similar documents to
financial institutions, businesses and consumers. In particular, the
FDIC does not send unsolicited correspondence asking for sensitive
personal information, including bank account information. Anyone
receiving such correspondence should contact the FDIC immediately by
calling the Corporation's toll-free telephone number at 1-877-ASK-FDIC
(1-877-275-3342) or by e-mailing to
alert@fdic.gov. Do not use contact information listed for the FDIC
in the correspondence because it is likely to be falsified. Questions
can also be submitted to the FDIC using an online form at
http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.
For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's
website at
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2007/index.html. To learn
how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please
visit
www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
|
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Sandra L. Thompson
Director |
|
|
Division of Supervision and Consumer
Protection |
|
|
Fraudulent Emails
from FDIC or VeriSign, Inc.
(added 2-22-07) |
|
E-mails
fraudulently claiming to be from the FDIC or VeriSign, Inc. are
attempting to deceive financial institutions in to installing
unknown software on their computer networks.
|
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has become aware of
e-mails that appear to be sent from the FDIC or VeriSign, Inc. and ask
recipients to run a "security guard script" to secure Web sites.
Currently, the e-mails are purportedly from "FDIC Legal Information
Technology," "FDIC Information Security," or "Verisign Inc." and the
subject lines include the phrase "Regular Security Maintenance" or
"Regular Hosting Security Maintenance." The e- mails are fraudulent and
were not sent by the FDIC or VeriSign, Inc.
The fraudulent e-mails state that "to secure your websites, please use
the attached file and (for UNIX/Linux Based servers) upload the file "vprotect.php"
in: "./public_html" or (for Windows Based servers) in: "./wwwroot" in
your site." The e-mails also provide instructions for recipients who "do
not know how to use" the file.
The FDIC is working with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness
Team to determine the exact effects of the executable file. Recipients
should consider this file to be a malicious attempt to collect personal
or confidential information. Financial institutions and consumers should
NOT download the executable file attached to the e-mails. Consumers and
financial institutions should report any similar situations by following
the procedures below.
Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other
fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and
Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004,
Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to
alert@fdic.gov. Questions related to federal deposit insurance or
consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form
that can be accessed at
http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.
For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's
Web site at
www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2007/index.html. To learn how to
automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit
www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
|
|
Sandra L. Thompson
Director |
|
|
Division of Supervision and Consumer
Protection |
|
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Fraudulent Emails
from ViewPoint Bank Financial Solutions
(added 2-10-07) |
|
Fraudulent E-Mails Claim to Be From ViewPoint Bank Financial Solutions
in Association with the FDIC
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has become aware of
e-mails that appear to be sent from ViewPoint Bank Financial Solutions
and the FDIC. The e-mail requests the recipient to register for a "SON -
Secure Online Network" code to protect against credit card fraud. The
e-mail instructs the recipient to click on a hyperlink to initiate "SON"
registration in an attempt to acquire the recipient's personal financial
information. These e-mails are fraudulent and were not sent by either
ViewPoint Bank or the FDIC. Financial institutions and consumers should
NOT access the link provided within the body of these e-mails and should
NOT, under any circumstances, provide any personal financial information
through this media. The FDIC does not directly contact consumers, nor
does the FDIC request personal financial information from consumers.
The fraudulent e-mails describe fictitious relationships between the
FDIC and VISA, MasterCard, Yahoo, eBay, Amazon.com, and Half.com. The
e-mails claim that consumers will receive a 15 percent discount at
various Web sites upon completion of the form. These fraudulent e-mails
may be modified over time, reflecting different financial institution
names or business relationships.
The FDIC is attempting to identify the source of the fraudulent e-mails
and disrupt the transmission. Until this is achieved, consumers and
financial institutions should notify the FDIC at
alert@fdic.gov of any similar attempts to obtain personal financial
information.
Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other
fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and
Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004,
Washington, D.C. 20429, 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
http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.
For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's
Web site at
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2007/index.html. To learn
how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please
visit
www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
|
|
Sandra L. Thompson
Director |
|
|
Division of Supervision and Consumer
Protection |
|
For older Alerts please visit our
archives. |
|
