It’s important to understand that anyone can fall victim to fraud. That’s why we’re here to provide resources about popular fraud schemes and how to avoid them.
If you suspect that there has been fraudulent activity with your Needham Bank account(s), call us at 781-444-2100 as soon as possible.
Educate yourself about the common scams below so you can learn how to detect them and keep your personal and financial information safe.
A fraudster gains access to an account that does not belong to them, changes information such as log in credentials or personal information, and then makes unauthorized transactions in that account.
This is any effort to obtain money illegally using paper or digital checks. This can include writing bad checks, stealing and altering checks and forging checks.
Financial resources are misappropriated and/or control of financial resources is abused (in the context of a relationship where there is an expectation of trust), and that abuse causes harm to an older person.
A person you don’t know will ask you to deposit a check and send money back to them. These checks will either be phony, meaning they were created on a computer and printed out, or real, meaning they were stolen and forged.
A fraudster uses someone’s personal identifying information without their permission in order to commit fraud or other crimes.
A scammer creates a fake social media account to impersonate someone you trust. Since it appears to be someone you know, you will be more likely to share information and click malicious links.
A scammer injects malware into a legitimate online advertising network through code. The ads are created to look real and the malicious code will then install the malware on your computer, ultimately allowing the criminal to capture your credentials.
This is when fraud takes place within the first 90 days after an account is opened. The accounts are often opened solely to commit fraud.
A scammer will use email to trick you into clicking a malicious link or giving out personal information, enabling them to hack into your account.
A fraudulent text message is sent to try and get you to pay money, click on a suspicious link or download an app.
A fraudster tricks someone into giving up their confidential account and/or personal information by convincing them to think they are communicating with trusted and known sources.
A scammer tricks you into unnecessary technical support services to fix nonexistent problems on your computer, software or internet, ultimately trying to gain access to personal and financial information. The scammer will initiate contact by displaying fake error messages on your computer enticing you to call tech support or they will call you directly pretending to be from a well-known tech company.
A fraudster “fishes” for envelopes containing written checks in the United States Postal Service mailboxes. When they come across a check, they use techniques to erase all of the details in order to rewrite a fraudulent check to themselves for a large sum of money.
A a fraudster calls using personal information a scammer has previously obtained from a phishing attack. After stealing your confidential information from the fraudulent email, the cybercriminal will need to take it a step further to receive your SMS password or digital token to finalize the fraud operation.
Follow these best practices consistently to keep your accounts safe:
Monitor activity in real-time and set up account alerts to keep tabs and receive notifications when things aren’t right.
Sign up for Zelle to enjoy a convenient and safe way to send money directly into the recipient’s account.
Use our secure online Bill Pay to receive bills electronically so you know what is due, for how much and when without the mess of papers.
Learn how to protect yourself and others from fraud and scams.
Safeguard your business by proactively reducing the risk or fraud.
