NIB warns against online scams

by Kelly Kandra Hughes

Catie Dougan chuckles as she tells the story of when someone tried to scam her by email phishing. “A couple of years ago, I received an email from someone by the name of Tom McGowan. He asked me to send money via wire out of state because he was at a funeral. Tom also mentioned not to speak to his wife, Celia, about this, as it was a private and confidential matter. Little did the hacker know that I am not only Tom McGowan’s banker, but I’m his daughter. I knew immediately that this email was fraud. Obviously, the money wasn’t sent, and the con didn’t work out well for the hacker.”

According to Dougan, Regional Manager at National Iron Bank in Norfolk, and her colleagues, Sales Associates Zoe Lorette and Hailee Moore, email phishing is the tip of the iceberg in banking fraud. They also regularly see: vishing and SMishing, the phone and text message equivalents of email phishing; skimming, which is when fraudsters attach a device to an ATM or credit card slot to read or skim for personal information; gift card scams, where the victim is sent a check with an added thank-you “bonus” to buy several gift cards, only to find afterwards that the check had insufficient funds; sweetheart scams, where people stage an online relationship for the sole purpose of asking for money; and even COVID scams, fake websites offering PPE and testing kits that don’t actually exist. Of course, there are also the classic credit card scams where people steal credit card numbers for their own purposes. 

According to the FBI, cybercrimes cost Americans $2.8 billion in 2018. The primary targets are usually people over age 60. But anyone, anywhere can be a target. Take, for example, Reverend Erick Olsen, the pastor at the United Church of Christ (Congregational), Norfolk. His email account has been hacked a few times in the last year, which resulted in many church members receiving a phishing email saying that Rev. Olsen needed money—fast. The hacker even used the UCC logo in their email. 

Thankfully, the church acted quickly to alert members to the scam, and no money was lost. “It boggles my mind,” says Olsen, “how much time and energy is devoted to these scams, which are annoying to say the very least. Imagine if the creativity and tech savvy behind such scams could be redirected for creative and helpful purposes!” 

According to Dougan, Lorette and Moore, the surest way to keep your money safe from scammers is vigilance. Dougan can’t stress this point enough. “Never, ever, give anyone your information. Never do it! If they’re calling or contacting you, that’s a big red flag. If you’re calling them, that’s a different story.” Lorette adds, “You never have to give out your social security number. There’s always another way for a person to verify you.”

There is also the simple step of keeping personal information separate from banking materials. “Be careful where you’re storing sensitive information,” says Moore. “Don’t keep it in your wallet.” Dougan also advises not to write the PIN on the back of an ATM card. “If you lose your card and someone finds it, they’ll know what those numbers are.” 

The next best piece of advice is to ask your local banker for help if you have any concerns, no matter how small. “Definitely reach out to us,” says Dougan. “The police are overrun with this type of activity. It’s just astounding to me. If we all work really hard, we can prevent it, at least locally. I urge you all to call and ask for assistance from us or your local banker. We’re here to protect you, your funds and your identity.”