In the course of a busy day, you may write a check at the grocery store, charge tickets to a ball game, rent a car, mail your tax returns, change service providers for your cell phone, or apply for a credit card. In each transaction, you reveal bits of personal information, like your bank and credit card account numbers; your income; your Social Security number (SSN); or your name, address, and phone numbers – a goldmine of information for an identity thief. Once a thief has that information, it can be used without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft.

Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend time and money cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of their good name and credit record. They may lose out on job opportunities, and loans for education, housing, or cars. They may even get arrested for crimes they didn’t commit.

Can you prevent an identity theft? As with any crime, you cannot completely control whether you will become a victim. But according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, you can minimize your risk by managing your personal information cautiously.

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The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Helpful Links

Three Rivers Bank wants you to be safe.

We want to help you protect your personal and business online activities. Click here to learn more about How to Protect Your ComputerKeep Your Business Safe Online, and Protect Your Personal Information.

How do I protect myself from fraud?

Following an event like a data breach, it’s common to see fraudsters use emails, texts, phone calls and fake websites to try to steal your personal information.

What kind of scams do I need to watch out for?

  • Social Engineering: Using fraud or deception to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging information that they would normally not share.
  • Social Engineer: A scam artist who contacts individuals via phone, email, text message or even in person to gather information for the purposes of fraud, data system access, identity theft and more.
  • Phishing: A social engineer uses a fake email to trick recipients into giving up credit card information, passwords or other sensitive information. The email may appear to come from a trusted source, such as a reputable company or bank, and often includes personal details so it appears the sender knows you.
  • Smishing: Similar to Phishing (see above), a social engineer sends a fake Short Message Service (SMS) text message to your cell phone, announcing that you’ve won a prize or offer from a trusted company or bank if you follow a link to a website and enter a code. Clicking the link can expose your phone to malware.
  • Pretexting: When a social engineer impersonates someone with authority and creates a fake scenario to trick unsuspecting individuals into sharing private or sensitive information.
  • Spoofing: The practice of deceiving people into believing an email or Web site originates from a source that it does not. The most common type of spoofing is email spoofing, but Web page spoofing and IP spoofing are also very common.

What are some things I can do to avoid social engineering scams?

  • Never give out private or personal information, including financial details, unless you can verify the identity of the person or organization contacting you.
  • Don’t respond to texts or emails coming from a contact you don't recognize, and don’t click on links. Instead, if you need to check on your account, type the site address you want visit into your browser and securely log into your account.
  • Don’t send money to strangers; scam artists often insist that you wire money, especially overseas, because it’s difficult to trace the transaction.
  • Keep an eye on your monthly statements. If your account information is stolen, fraudsters can use it to charge purchases or commit crimes in your name. Watch for unusual charges such as “membership fees” and other goods or services you didn’t authorize. If you see a charge you don’t recognize, contact your account provider immediately.

What are some red flags that indicate I might be dealing with a social engineer?

Some common red flags that help identify a social engineer include:

  • Refusal to provide contact or call-back information
  • Acting rushed, pressed for time or intimidating
  • Name-dropping
  • Extremely friendly
  • May seem to know some personal information already, but is asking for more
  • Poor grammar or spelling
  • The links or attachments in an email seem suspicious

What should I do if I suspect I’ve been contacted by a social engineer?

If you think you may have been scammed, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself:

  • Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission, or, if you live outside the U.S., file a complaint at econsumer.gov. You can also report scams to your state Attorney General.
  • Forward email spam to spam@uce.gov.

Community Links

Request For Electronic Banking Credentials

Three Rivers Bank will never contact you on an unsolicited basis to request your electronic banking credentials.

  • If you ever receive an unsolicited request that appears to come from Three Rivers Bank asking that you provide your account information, user name or password, DO NOT respond to the email or call to the number provided. If you are unsure of its authenticity, call us -- not the one in the email or message -- to verify that we actually sent it and to inquire about why we need their information.
  • If the email appears to be from another company or financial institution, you can forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org.
  • Delete suspicious emails from your Inbox and clean out your Deleted Items folder.
  • If you have responded and provided information, contact us immediately. If the phishing comes in the form of email, you can forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org.