Gone Phishing.
When it comes to financial scams, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Phishing scams are getting more and more common among our customers – probably because these scams can be pretty convincing.
So, what is phishing? Phishing is a type of scam in which cybercriminals use calls, emails, texts and fake websites to impersonate companies you may know and attempt to steal your personal information. Scammers often use threats to close your account or impose a penalty if you do not quickly provide the information they want. Once scammers get what they need, they’ll attempt to gain access to your account(s).
Don’t take the bait! Here are some of the latest phishing scams we’ve seen, and how to protect yourself.
COVID-19 Fraud
Since the pandemic, we’ve seen scammers try to use false offers for COVID-19 tests, vaccines and supplies. Beware of fraudsters pretending to be COVID-19 contact tracers. Legitimate contact tracers will never ask for your Medicare number, financial information, or attempt to set up a COVID-19 test for you and collect payment information for the test.
Read more about COVID-19 scams here.
Fake Calls
Scammers can make it look like they’re calling from Apple Bank, but they’re really trying to get your account information. If you get a suspicious call, hang up and call CustomerLine at 914-902-2775 to make sure you’re really speaking with Apple Bank.
Malicious Links in Emails
Be wary of email messages that look like a company you know, but really contain malicious links or attachments that release malware on your computer. Misspelled words, odd capitalization or a return email address that does not match the company name are all signs that an email could be fraudulent.
If you have any doubt that an email is legitimate, delete it. If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from Apple Bank, forward it to [email protected], so we can investigate it.