Protect Yourself by Staying Informed
Phishing is a cyber scam where someone will pretend to be from a legitimate source to steal personal information. This information may contain a login, password, or other valuable personal information. There are many different elements to phishing.
Vishing
Vishing, or voice phishing, is one of the ways a scammer could trick you. It involves a scammer calling victims and posing as a trusted entity to extract personal details and information.
Smishing
Smishing is when a scammer sends text messages to a person, trying to trick them into giving out sensitive information or even clicking untrustworthy links.
You will not receive any messages asking for personal or financial information from Shoreham Bank. If you do receive a text message from Shoreham Bank asking for personal information, do not respond, do not click any links, and report the message as fraudulent.
Email Phishing
Email Phishing occurs when an attacker sends an email that appears to be from a reputable source, such as your financial institution. The emails will look very convincing, using the same logos, colors, and even language that the real sender would use. Many times, the content of the email will be an urgent message claiming that an action needs to be completed immediately. Be mindful of this when opening and responding to emails.
You will not receive any emails asking for personal information from Shoreham Bank. If you do receive an email from Shoreham Bank asking for personal information, do not respond, do not click any links, and report the email as fraudulent. Make sure that any email you respond to from Shoreham Bank ends in @shoreham.bank.
Emotional Triggers
Many times, cyber scammers come up with a story line. The need for urgency will get the victim, you, to act quickly rather than think first. Someone trying to phish you may also use fear, greed, threats, curiosity, authority, or compassion to scam you. Make sure to always be aware of these manipulative situations over the phone, email, or text.
If you receive a suspicious phone call, text, or email from a financial institution that you use, call the institution in order to verify that the interaction was legitimate. If there is any suspicion, do not click the links and delete the email, text, or call immediately.
Phishing and other cyber scams are becoming more advanced every day so it’s crucial to be aware of these scams and how to protect you and your information.