Fraud and Security Resources
Protecting your Information is something we do together
Fraud today is widespread, and the people behind it grow more inventive by the day so staying safe works best as a partnership. At Exchange Bank, we invest in sophisticated security technology to help keep your accounts protected, and we back those tools up by keeping you informed about the scams making the rounds.
Your part matters just as much: stay alert, stay careful, and let a healthy sense of skepticism guide you.
To make that easier, we’ve gathered the details on today’s most common scams and the steps you can take to guard your money. We organized it all in one place, so you can take an active role in protecting your finances.
Tips to Stay Safe
A common scammer tactic is coaching their target to give a false reason for sending or withdrawing money. Why? Because banks are trained to recognize fraud and may pause a transaction that looks suspicious.
Some of the instructions scammers may give you include:
- “Tell them it’s for a relative.”
- “Say you’re buying something.”
- “Say you’re just moving money between your own accounts.”
- “Whatever you do, don’t bring up the investment.”
- “Tell them it’s a payment to a contractor or a government agency.”
How to Protect Yourself
Always be truthful about what a transaction is for. The questions we ask are there to protect you, not to slow you down. If anyone coaches you to disguise the real purpose of a payment or transfer, treat it as a major red flag. Stop, and call us at (707) 524-3000.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to prevent, detect, or address every type of fraud or scam. Because fraud tactics change frequently, customers should remain vigilant and contact Exchange Bank immediately if they suspect suspicious activity.
Common Types of Fraud and Scams
Elder Financial Abuse often hides in plain sight. Learn the signs, and who to call.
Older adults can be targets for many forms of financial abuse and may not be in a position to stop it on their own. If you’re experiencing elder abuse, or you think someone else might be, reach out to us directly at (707) 524-3000 or contact the Eldercare Locator, which will point you to the local agency best suited to help based on your situation.
Our team can walk you through steps to protect yourself and your finances. You can also reach your county’s Adult Protective Services (APS) agency any hour of the day to report suspected elder abuse, anonymously, if you prefer.
Your phone goes everywhere you do. So do the scammers targeting it.
For most of us, a cell phone is never more than an arm’s length away. That constant connection gives fraudsters a huge, often unsuspecting audience for their latest schemes. Here’s what they’re trying and how to shut it down.
Stay a step ahead with Account Alerts. You can view your current alerts or sign up here.
Remember: Exchange Bank will never call, text, or email to ask for your account numbers, Social Security number, ATM or debit card PIN, or any other sensitive details.
Credit and Debit Card Fraud comes in many forms. So do the ways to stop it.
The more familiar you are with common credit and debit card scams, the better positioned you are to protect your cards and your information. To help, we’ve rounded up some of the schemes you’re most likely to encounter and practical ways to sidestep them.
Keep in mind that you can set up alerts for every transaction, you can do that here.
Check Scams are constantly changing. Here's how to stay a step ahead.
Check fraud has evolved well beyond bounced, kited, and forged checks. As paper checks fade from everyday use, the scams around them have grown more sophisticated, often trading on people’s trust. Here are a few of the latest schemes, along with ways to protect your money.
Money moves fast by wire, and scammers count on it. Here’s how to protect yours.
Wire transfers are a fast, convenient way to move money but that same speed and finality make them a favorite target for scammers. Reports point to a sharp rise in wire and money-transfer fraud, especially around real estate deals. Understanding how these scams work is your best defense against a costly loss. Here’s a practical guide to the most common wire scams and how to avoid them.
One stolen login can unravel everything. Here’s how to keep yours secure.
Picture logging in to find your savings account drained to zero and your credit card pushed past its limit. That’s account takeover fraud, and it can turn your financial life upside down. This modern threat is a reminder of how important it is to lock down your online identities and stay watchful against digital thieves.
For an added layer of protection, we encourage you to enroll in Account Alerts. You can require a One-Time Passcode at every login and get notified each time someone signs in.
Banking from your phone should be easy - and safe.
Online and mobile banking fraud wears many disguises: hacking, phishing, malware, and social-engineering tricks among them. Protecting your information and your funds starts with knowing the many ways fraudsters try to break into your accounts.
For an added layer of protection, we encourage you to enroll in Account Alerts, which let you require a One-Time Passcode at every login and get notified whenever someone signs in.
The name looks familiar. The sender may not be.
It looks like a routine email or text coming from your gym, your doctor, your favorite store, or even the post office. In reality, it’s a scammer betting you won’t look too closely before you open it and let your guard down. That’s the moment the deception begins. A little extra vigilance goes a long way toward staying clear of email and text spoofs.
Stay alert and informed with Account Alerts. Exchange Bank will never call, text, or email to ask for your account numbers, Social Security number, ATM or debit card PIN, or any other sensitive information.
Spoof sites are deceptive websites created by cybercriminals to steal your personal and financial information.
Spoof sites are deceptive websites built by cybercriminals to steal your personal and financial information. They copy the design and branding of trusted companies so convincingly that telling real from fake can be tough. At Exchange Bank, we’re committed to helping you understand the risks of spoof sites and giving you the tools to stay safe.
There's only one you. Let's keep it that way.
Working together, we can push back against identity theft and fraud while keeping your Exchange Bank accounts secure.
What identity theft is
Identity theft happens when a criminal gathers enough of your personal information to pass as you. That information can be lifted in ways like scams, phishing, and data breaches. At the milder end, a hacked social media or email account can damage your reputation. At the more serious end, your money can be stolen or your credit harmed if someone applies for a loan in your name.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Employment scams dangle lucrative-sounding opportunities but deliver financial loss and disappointment. They lean on legitimate-looking websites and emails to trick job seekers into handing over personal information or money. Here are some of the tactics they use.
