ProGrowth News
Fraudulent E-Mails Claiming to Be From the FDIC (as reported to us)
Friday, June 3, 2011
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of fraudulent e-mails that have the appearance of being from the FDIC.
The e-mails appear to be sent from various "@fdic.gov" e-mail addresses, such as "subscriptions@fdic.gov," "alert@fdic.gov," or "accounts@fdic.gov."
They have subject lines that read: "FDIC: Your business account" or "FDIC: About Your Business Account."
The e-mails are addressed to "Business Customer" or "Business Owner" and state "We have important information about your bank" or "…financial institution." They then ask recipients to "Please click here to find details."
They conclude with, "This includes information on the acquiring bank (if applicable), how your accounts and loans are affected, and how vendors can file claims against the receivership."
These e-mails and the link included are fraudulent and were not sent by the FDIC. Recipients should consider the intent of these e-mails as an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, or to load malicious software onto end users' computers. Recipients should NOT access the link provided within the body of the e-mails and should NOT, under any circumstances, provide any personal financial information through this media.
Financial institutions and consumers should be aware that other subject lines and modifications to the e-mails may occur over time. The FDIC does not directly contact consumers in this manner nor does the FDIC request personal financial information from consumers.
New Credit Card Scam (as reported to us)
Friday, March 6, 2009
Snopes.com says this is true. To verify see this site: http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with
all the information, except the one piece they want.
Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have
it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & Master
Card Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.
One of our employees was called on Wednesday from ‘VISA’, and l was
called on Thursday from 'Master Card'. The scam works like this: Caller: 'This is
(name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge
number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and
I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name
of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing
company based in Arizona?'
When you say 'no', the caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing
a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges
range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards.
Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address),
is that correct?'
You say 'yes', the caller continues - 'I will be starting a Fraud investigation.
If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back
of your card (1-800 -VISA) and ask for Security.'
You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives
you a 6 digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again’?
Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam
works. The caller then says, 'I need to verify you are in possession
of your card. He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and look for some numbers'.
There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the
security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers
you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller
will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers,
he'll say, 'That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been
lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?'
After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call
back if you do, and hangs up.
You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the
Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes
to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us
it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to
our card.
Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA
account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit
PIN number on the back of the card, DON’T give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll
call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real
VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know
the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit
PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your
statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost
too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.
What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from
a 'Jason Richardson of Master Card' with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam.
This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed
by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also
urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening.
Please pass this on to all your family, friends and neighbors. By informing each
other, we protect each other.
FDIC Deposit Insurance
Coverage Increased
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent
agency of the United States government that protects against the loss of insured
deposits if an FDIC-insured bank or savings association fails. FDIC deposit insurance
is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Since the
FDIC was established, no depositor has ever lost a single penny of FDIC
insured funds.
FDIC insurance covers all deposit accounts at insured banks and savings
associations, including checking, NOW, savings accounts, money market deposit accounts
and certificates of deposit (CDs) up to the insurance limit. The FDIC does not insure
the money you invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance policies, annuities
or municipal securities, even if you purchased these products from an insured bank
or savings association.
There is no need for depositors to apply for FDIC insurance or even
to request it. Coverage is automatic.
To ensure funds are fully protected, depositors should understand their
deposit insurance coverage limits. The FDIC provides separate insurance coverage
for deposits held in different ownership categories such as single accounts, joint
accounts, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and trust accounts.
Basic FDIC Deposit Insurance Coverage Limits*
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Single Accounts (owned by one person)
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$250,000 per owner*
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Joint Accounts (two or more persons)
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$250,000 per co-owner*
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IRAs and certain other retirement accounts
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$250,000 per owner
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Trust Accounts
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$250,000 per owner per beneficiary subject to specific limitations
and requirements*
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These deposit
insurance coverage limits refer to the total of all deposits that an accountholder
(or accountholders) has at each FDIC-insured bank. The listing above shows only
the most common ownership categories that apply to individual and family deposits,
and assumes that all FDIC requirements are met.
* All funds in a “noninterest-bearing transaction account” are insured in full by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from December 31, 2010, through December 31, 2012. This temporary unlimited coverage is in addition to, and separate from, the coverage of at least $250,000 available to depositors under the FDIC’s general deposit insurance rules.
The term “noninterest-bearing transaction account” includes a traditional checking account or demand deposit account on which the insured depository institution pays no interest. It also includes Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts ("IOLTAs").
It does not include other accounts, such as traditional checking or demand deposit accounts that may earn interest, NOW accounts, or money-market deposit accounts.
For more information about temporary FDIC insurance coverage of transaction accounts, visit www.fdic.gov.
If you have questions about FDIC coverage limits and requirements,
please visit www.myFDICinsurance.gov,
call toll-free 1-877-ASK-FDIC, or ask a representative at
your bank.
Thank you for choosing ProGrowth!
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