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Can You Spot a Phishing Scam?
October 1, 2020
Categories: Business Fraud, Business Tips, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, Fraud Prevention, General
Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. And in this time of expanded use of online banking, the problem is only growing worse. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission’s report on fraud estimates that American consumers lost a staggering $1.9 billion to these phishing schemes and other fraud in 2019 — and the ongoing pandemic has only increased the threat. Imagine where we are in 2020.
It’s... Read More
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Beware of Unemployment Imposter Fraud
July 6, 2020
Categories: Business Fraud, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, Employment, Fraud Prevention, General
An unfortunate side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been high numbers of people filing unemployment claims. While unemployment insurance exists to help people manage difficult financial situations, it can also be a target for cybercriminals to commit fraud. Consider these tips to avoid becoming a victim of what’s known as unemployment imposter fraud.
If You’ve Been Victimized …
A consumer may learn... Read More
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The Basics of Electronic Signatures
June 15, 2020
Categories: Business Fraud, Business Tips, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, Employment, General
Are Electronic Signatures Safe to Use?
In today’s world, you’ve probably been asked to use an electronic signature for a job application, a car loan or even a home loan. New technology often yields new questions about safety and security. Here are some basics about electronic signatures to help you feel more comfortable with their usage:
Wet signatures (written with ink) can easily be forged, misused or copied. Electronic signatures include many... Read More -
How Consumers Can Protect Against Coronavirus Scams
April 20, 2020
Categories: Business Fraud, Business Tips, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, Fraud Prevention, General
As world leaders continue to address the novel coronavirus pandemic, the likelihood that cybercriminals will use the public’s concern over the situation in cyber scams increases. To help educate consumers, use these six tips on how to spot cyber scams.
How to Protect Yourself From Coronavirus Scams
Consider taking the following steps when receiving communications regarding the coronavirus:
Be... Read More -
NEW! Online Financial Safety Webinar
March 23, 2020
Categories: Business Fraud, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, General
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach of Kossuth County is partnering with Iowa State Bank to offer a webinar, “Online Financial Safety”, on Thursday, April 9, 2020. The webinar will be hosted via WebEx, and will begin at 12:00 noon.
The webinar will help participants to better protect their finances from fraud, by teaching how to instill good security practices for one’s home and financial life. “American’s have lost billions of dollars in recent... Read More
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Protect Your Identity this Tax Season
January 30, 2020
Categories: Business Fraud, Business Tips, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, Fraud Prevention, General
Taxes are due April 15, and as busy professionals work to complete their tax returns, criminals are stepping up their identity theft efforts. Iowa State Bank wants to make sure consumers know how to spot potential identity theft scams this tax season.
IRS impersonation scams involve phone calls or emails from someone claiming to work for the IRS. They may tell the victim that there is an issue with their tax return or that they need to update tax filing information. Following are... Read More
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Beware of Scams
December 12, 2019
Categories: Business Fraud, Business Tips, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, Fraud Prevention, General
Scams are rampant this time of year with online holiday shopping, year-end business transactions and the distractions of a busy holiday schedule. Take a few moments to protect yourself from potential scams:
Know who you are dealing with.
Remember, your bank or other financial institution will not contact you by phone, email or letter and ask you for information they already know about you. If you receive a message claiming to be from the bank, contact us at the... Read More -
Beware of Holiday Gift Card Scams
December 3, 2019
Categories: Business Fraud, Business Tips, Consumer Tips, Cybersecurity, Fraud Prevention, General
Gift cards can be a thoughtful and generous gift. Consumers spend more than $130 billion on gift cards per year, according to CEB TowerGroup. With that much money involved, these products make for a popular target for fraudsters -- especially during the holidays. Iowa State Bank wants to make sure consumers know how to spot such scams so they don't become a victim.
While community banks encourage consumers to shop their local businesses first, however sometimes a gift card is... Read More
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Positive Pay: Great Way for Businesses to Detect Potential Fraud
July 19, 2019
Categories: Business Fraud, Business Tips, Fraud Prevention, General
A message from Jason Wartick, Executive Vice President & Chief Credit Officer --
Criminals don’t just target consumers – they’re looking at businesses, large and small, for their fraudulent schemes. If you’re one of our commercial customers who uses our eCorp Business Banking solution at www.BankISB.com, we’re pleased to offer Positive Pay – a way for your business to reduce potential check fraud.
Our Positive Pay feature matches checks presented... Read More
