Safety Tips Blog

How to (Safely) Shop Online During the Holiday Season
By: Charlestien Harris At this time of year, everyone is gearing up for a busy online shopping season, but especially the crafty and cunning scammer. Everybody is looking for that special deal, hard-to-find items, or great percentage-off sales that will save a shopper...

Now that the student loan debt relief application is open, spot the scams
The Department of Education (ED)’s application for federal student loan debt relief is now open and, of course, scammers are on the move — trying to get your money and personal information. Luckily, there are ways to stop them, so keep reading to find out...

Consumer Alert: Scammers Posing as Utility Companies
The recent winter weather caused millions of people to have issues with their water and heat. Sadly, but not surprisingly, scam artists are using this unfortunate situation to steal money and personal financial information. The Federal Trade Commission is warning...

What to Do If You Are A Victim of Financial Fraud
By Veronica Baxter According to credit agency Equifax, identity theft is the most common form of financial fraud. A victim’s personal information is stolen in order to access existing credit and bank accounts and to open new credit accounts. This article will explain...

Customer Alert: COVID-19 Online Shopping Scams
Face masks, toilet paper, and other essential items are in high demand right now. Be careful of deals that seem too good to be true. The Federal Trade Commission gives tips on how to shop online responsibly: Check out the company or product by typing its name in a...

Consumer Alert: COVID-19 Scams By The Numbers
Scammers adapt to the latest issues even in this time of crisis. The Bureau of Consumer Protection has compiled the latest data on COVID-19 related scams. Here are the highlights: From January 1 until today, the FTC has gotten 18,235 reports related to COVID-19, and...

How to Avoid Coronavirus Scams
We want to make our customers aware of the increase in scams and fraud related to the Coronavirus Disease, known as COVID-19. Be extremely careful with coronavirus (COVID-19) related text messages, emails that may contain malicious links and attachments, phone calls,...

Coming Soon: Debit Card Fraud Text Alerts!
We’re excited to announce we’ll be adding Text Fraud Alerts as part of our debit card protection program in the coming weeks. Keeping your account safe and secure is our highest priority. You’ll soon begin receiving text alerts when suspicious activity is detected on...

Smart Tips for Back to School Shopping
It's that time of year again. New teachers, new classrooms, and a long list of things to buy for any kid going back to school. Stay smart with your back to school shopping by following these tips from the FTC: Shop with a list Take inventory of the...

Consumer Alert: Social Security Administration Scams
No matter how reputable a company sounds, they are most likely scammers if they make the first contact and ask for sensitive information over the phone. The Federal Trade Commission warns us that scammers are impersonating the Social Security Administration in order...