Labrisca Blakney, Branch Manager
Greetings from our North River branch in Tuscaloosa! As part of International Fraud Awareness Week we want to remind you of a few important factors to help prevent fraud on your account!
Traveling
Traveling is part of everyday life. Whether it’s for work or leisure, remind Bryant Bank that you’re heading out of town. This prevents miscommunication and a hassle-free trip. Give us a call or stop by before leaving town. That way we can be sure that any activity on your card is in fact, you! An important reminder when traveling internationally; we automatically block international transactions; however, these restrictions can be lifted for the period of time you’re set to travel overseas.
When using your card, we suggest running the transaction as a debit rather than a credit whenever possible. With debit, we can track your transactions more sufficiently and it can help us identify which transactions were or were not made by yourself in the event your card number is compromised.
Shopping
Another simple tip for when you’re out shopping when checking out, wait until you’re ready to insert your card into the card reader before pulling it out of your wallet. A common trick of scam artists is to take pictures on their phones of people who are holding their debit card in their hand while waiting to check out. It is one of the easiest ways to help prevent anyone from getting your card number.
MyCardRules
The new MyCardRules app is for your wallet’s protection and your convenience. The app allows you to set alerts for all activity, restrict the use of your card to within a certain radius of your phone (great for traveling) and gives you the ability to lock and unlock your card in real time with the click of a button (and an internet connection). The MyCardRules app was made for Bryant Bank customers for their convenience and peace of mind. Best of all, it’s a free service to all Bryant Bank customers. Download it today!
Websites
If you are using an unsecured network or public Wi-Fi, do not make financial transactions. These networks are easily accessible to hackers and your information is at a much higher risk of being stolen. This applies to websites as well. Never enter your debit card number or bank information on a website that is not secure. The difference between a secure website and an unsecured website can most easily be seen in the URL (web address). Secure websites begin with a URL of https, while unsecured sites only start with http. Remember the “S” for secure! Most web browsers including Chrome, Internet Explorer, & Firefox, all feature a lock icon in the address bar to help you identify that a website is secure.
Email Communication
Emails seem secure; however, that is not always the case. Scam artists use email to try to lure people into giving their information with elaborate e-mails and even websites that appear to be from your financial institution. If you ever receive an email asking for verification of your financial account or asking you to verify your date of birth, social security number, or other sensitive information, call your financial institution immediately. Bryant Bank will never ask for your banking information over email or for you to click a link to verify account information. A good tip, in general, is to remember that the majority of emails are not encrypted securely so when your information is placed in an email it is put at a much higher risk for fraud.
Your banking information is your own. It shouldn’t be shared with even your most trusted friend. It is nothing personal, but accidents happen and suddenly your information could end up in the hands of the wrong people. Just remember not to share your banking information with anyone. Mistakes happen every day and fraud can be prevented if your banking information is known by only you.
Fraud is scary, but it doesn’t have to be. At Bryant Bank, we’re here to help.
By Labrisca Blakney, Branch Manager – North River
Bryant Bank operates only in Alabama and was founded on the belief that the state needs a bank that is focused on the needs of Alabamians. Our goal is to help families get ahead, help businesses grow and make the community a better place to live. Click here to sign up for an account with us today.
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