NorthStar Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender

Protect Yourself from Phishing Attempts

Phishing Alerts 

Phishing- pronounced -“fishing”- is a type of scam criminals use to coerce consumers into sharing personal and financial information.  Fraudsters create spoofed email and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, Social Security numbers, etc.    

By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers and credit card companies, phishers are able to convince recipients to respond to them.  The email may look like it comes from a financial institution, e-commerce site, government agency or any other service or business.  It often urges the consumer to act quickly, hinting that their account may be compromised in some way.

There are a number of different phishing techniques, and each one is becoming increasingly sophisticated.  The most common is a fake email or text message urging the reader to provide his or her credentials in order to update or verify account information.  Another method, also through email or text message, encourages the recipient to click on a link, which often looks like a legitimate website.

Scammers also attempt to steal information with a basic phone call. 

To protect yourself from phishing attempts:

Never give out your personal financial information in response to an unsolicited phone call, fax or text, no matter how official it may seem.

Do not respond to emails that warn of dire consequences if you do not validate your information immediately. Contact the company to confirm the email’s validity using a telephone number or website you know to be genuine.  Clicking on a link could give a criminal access to your personal information.

Monitor your bank account regularly and look for an unauthorized transactions, even small ones.  Report discrepancies immediately. 

When submitting financial information on a website, look for the padlock or key icon at the top or bottom of your browser and make sure the internet address begins with “https.”  This signals that your information is secure during the transmission. 

Report suspicious activity or If you believe you have responded to a spoofed email, contact NorthStar Bank immediately at the location nearest you.

Estherville Main 712-362-3322         Estherville Downtown 712-362-2641

Armstrong  712-868-3500                 Ringsted      712-866-0671

 

 

 

 

 

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