Great Western Bank: Making Life Great

We want you to be aware of some of the ways criminals are attempting to obtain your information and how to avoid becoming a victim.

• Update your virus protection software regularly. Look for security repairs and patches you can download from your operating system's website. You can even sign up for automatic updates from your operating system's website. 
• Consider using spyware detection programs.
• Do not download files from strangers or click on hyperlinks from people you don't know. Opening a file could expose your system to a computer virus or a program that could hijack your computer or modem.
• Do not respond to emails claiming to be from your bank, a government office, etc. that request your banking access credentials such as User IDs, passwords, PINs, etc.
• Use a firewall, especially if you have a high-speed connection to the Internet, such as DSL or cable. The firewall allows you to limit uninvited access to your computer. Without a firewall, hackers may be able to take over your computer and access sensitive information.
• Use a secure browser to ensure your web sessions are encrypted and safe. To verify a session is secure, look for "https:" versus "http:" in the URL.
• Use strong passwords—a combination of letters (upper and lowercase), numbers, and symbols.
• Avoid using an automatic login feature that saves your user name and password, and always log off when you're finished.
• Never leave your computer unattended while using any online banking or investment service.
• Do not access financial services at Internet cafés, public libraries, etc. Unauthorized software may have been installed to trap your account number and login information.
• Never share your password or PIN with anyone, and never write it down where others may find it. When selecting a password, don't use information easily linked to you (date of birth, pet's name, SSN). Change your password frequently for greater protection.
• Read website privacy policies to answer questions about the access to the accuracy, security, and control of personal information the site collects, as well as how sensitive information will be used and whether it will be provided to third parties.

The Pitch

You receive communication that you have won an international lottery. The notification of your winning ticket is followed by a substantial check that appears to be an official or cashier's check drawn on a legitimate financial institution.

The Catch

You are advised you must pay certain handling fees, currency conversion fees or taxes prior to receiving your winnings. You are encouraged to send the funds as quickly as possible via wire transfer to a location outside of the country. The winnings never materialize and any funds provided to you are returned as counterfeit.

The Safety Net

• Notification of winnings from any international lottery should be seen as a significant warning sign of fraud.
• Beware of any request for funds from a party with which you are not familiar, especially if they require payment in order for you to collect on funds you are owed.
• Checks received as payment for lottery winnings can be counterfeited just as any type of check. Even though an item may appear to be certified, cashier's check or official check, it can still be duplicated with amazing accuracy.
• Any items that you deposit into your account can cause you significant financial harm if they are eventually returned unpaid.

• There are many variations of the fake check scam. It could start with someone offering to buy something you advertised, pay you to work at home, give you an "advance" on a sweepstakes you've supposedly won, or pay the first installment on the millions you will receive for agreeing to have money in a foreign country transferred to your bank account for safekeeping. Whatever the pitch, the person may sound quite believable. 
• Fake check scammers hunt for victims. They scan newspaper and online advertisements for people listing items for sale, and check postings on online job sites from people seeking employment. They place their own ads with phone numbers or email addresses. And they call or send emails or faxes to people randomly, knowing that some will take the bait.
• They often claim to be in another country.The scammers say it's too difficult and complicated to send you the money directly from their country, so they'll arrange for someone in the U.S. to send you a check.
• They tell you to wire money to them after you've deposited the check.
  • If you're selling something, they say they'll pay you by having someone in the U.S. who owes them money send you a check. It will be for more than the sale price; you deposit the check, keep what you're owed, and wire the rest to them.
  • If it's part of a work-at-home scheme, they may claim that you'll be processing checks from their "clients." You deposit the checks and then wire them the money minus your "pay." Or they may send you a check for more than your pay "by mistake" and ask you to wire them the excess.
  • In the sweepstakes and foreign money offer variations of the scam, they tell you to wire them money for taxes, customs, bonding, processing, legal fees, or other expenses that must be paid before you can get the rest of the money.
• The checks are fake but look real. In fact, they look so real that even bank tellers may be fooled. Some are phony cashier's checks, others look like they're from legitimate business accounts. The companies whose names appear may be real, but someone has forged the checks without their knowledge.
• You don't have to wait long to use the money, but that doesn't mean the check is good. Under federal law, banks have to make the funds you deposit available quickly—usually within one to five days—depending upon the type of check. But just because you can withdraw the money doesn't mean the check is good, even if it's a cashier's check. It can take weeks for the forgery to be discovered and the check to bounce.
• You are responsible for checks you deposit. When a check bounces, the bank deducts the amount that was originally credited to your account. If there are not enough funds to cover it, the bank may be able to take money from other accounts you have at that institution, or sue you to recover the funds. In some cases, law enforcement authorities could bring charges against the victims because it may look like they were involved in the scam and knew the check was counterfeit.
• There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to wire money back. If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashier's check for the exact amount, preferably from a local bank or a bank that has a branch in your area.

The Pitch

You receive an email that appears to be from a legitimate company. The email asks you to visit the company's website and answer sensitive questions concerning your account or personal information.

The Catch

The website address you are given in the email is a "spoof" of the company's official website. The criminals sending the email use your personal and account information to commit fraudulent transactions.

The Safety Net

• Beware of any email requests to immediately update your personal information. If you believe that request may be legitimate, type the website address directly into your browser; do not use the link provided.
• Be observant of an "@" symbol anywhere in the URL; this is usually indicative of a fraudulent website.
• Beware of emails warning you of an account closure.
• Look closely at any company logos on emails or websites. If you notice the logo appears stretched or distorted in any way, contact the company via a known telephone number or verified website address.
• Always use anti-virus software and ensure the virus signatures are automatically updated.
• Do not open unsolicited or unexpected email attachments claiming to be from a financial institution, due to the risk of malicious code or software.
• Immediately delete emails from unknown sources without opening.

The Pitch

You receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild needing money for some supposed crisis: emergency medical treatment, bail money, car repairs, etc.

The Catch

The scammer takes advantage of the senior's confusion or hearing loss, and requests money via wire transfer for an emergency.

The Safety Net

• Don't fill in the blanks. If the caller says "It's your granddaughter," respond with "Which one?" Most likely, the perpetrator will then hang up.
• Verify the caller. Always confirm your grandchild's identity by saying you will return the call at his or her home or on his cellphone (but don't ask the caller for the number). If you don't have your grandchildren's phone numbers, contact a trusted family member for them.
• Never provide your bank or credit card account numbers to any caller-regardless of the reason
• Be suspicious of requests for money wires.
• If you suspect a caller has called trying to scam you for money, contact your local police or state attorney general's office.