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Archive - April 2025

Business Fraud - Email Account Compromise

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

Email account compromise (EAC) is a form of fraud perpetrated on consumers and businesses in an attempt to get you to send fund transfers, ACH transfers and/or check payments.  Email account compromise perpetrated on business customers is known as Business Email Compromise or BEC.

The fraudsters find their targets primarily through social media, publicly available company email accounts, or social engineering.  After the email addresses are harvested, a series of phishing...

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Business Fraud - Online Reviews Scam

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

Are you unsatisfied with your current star rating on Google, Bing, or other platform? If so, make sure you don’t fall for online review scams.

Some scammers claim they can replace negative reviews of your product or service, add positive reviews, or boost your scores on ratings sites.  However, posting fake reviews is illegal.  Federal Trade Commission guidelines say endorsements — including reviews — must reflect the honest opinions and experiences of the...

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Business Fraud - Business and Government Impersonation Scams

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

Fraudsters love to pose as entities of authority as a fear tactic to get personal or business information and money. Some common entities that scammers try to pretend to be include:

A utility company saying your gas, electric, or water service is about to be interrupted because of a (fake) late bill. A government agent threatening to suspend your business licenses, fine you, or even sue you. A resource trying to convince you to buy workplace compliance posters. A business grant program...
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Business Fraud - Coaching Scams

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in:

Having a business mentor is generally a great idea, especially if you know them and have met face-to-face. Fraudsters have begun preying on these business-mentor relationships through business coaching scams. Scammers often sell coaching products that promise to “guide your business to making millions!” In reality, the fraudsters leave subscribers without help and in the hole financially.

Read more from the Federal Trade Commission here.

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Business Fraud - Corporate Account Takeover

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

Businesses, just as consumers, also need to take extra care in their responsibility in protecting their and their customer’s information.  Fraudsters have specific tactics to try to scam business clients.

There are many ways a business can see fraudulent activity, but one of the faster growing methods is via online banking. Corporate Account Takeover (CATO) is a form of corporate identity theft where cyber thieves gain control of a business’ bank account by stealing...

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Debit Card & ATM Safety

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

ATM and Debit Card fraud is becoming increasingly widespread with the high tech methods employed by criminals. Common methods used by criminals to steal your card information are phishing scams or unsolicited emails, breach of a retailer computer system, and card skimmers at ATMs or gas pumps.

Criminals may even call pretending to be your financial institution’s fraud department and tell you there is an unauthorized charge on your card. They will then ask for your card number,...

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Identity Theft

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

Identity Theft

What is it?

It is the act of using someone's personal information illegally and without their knowledge to obtain bank accounts, credit cards, loans, make purchases or file false tax returns. The victim usually does not know this has occurred until they receive a past due or delinquent notice for items that have been purchased in their name or they attempt to file their tax return.

How do they get my information?

These are just a few of...

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Overpayment Scams

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

Every consumer should be aware that Internet fraud is on the rise and should take precautions when purchasing or selling on the internet. In each of the scenarios counterfeit checks are sent and good money is wired out leaving the customer at a loss. Following are current examples of the types of scams that are being played out upon unsuspecting people.

Online Sale Scam

The victim has an item for sale on a public forum. A prospective buyer makes contact with the seller claiming...

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Elder Abuse Scams

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

In order to protect our loved ones and ourselves, it’s important to be on guard for scams geared toward older Americans or signs that it has already happened. According to the World Health Organization, as many as six percent of our elderly are targeted, and much of this goes unreported.

Financial scams can be especially devastating as many of our elderly live on fixed incomes. Here are four key tips to avoid being the victim of a senior scam.

Never pay for anything you...
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Phishing/Pharming Schemes

Posted On: April 4, 2025 by Austin Bank in: Fraud Alert

Phishing

Phishing is a form of criminal activity where individuals pose as legitimate entities to try to obtain or "fish" for personal information.

How does it work?

Individuals masquerade as legitimate companies and send what looks to be an official email, instant message, or text requesting you "update" or "verify" credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, and any other sensitive information. They may determine what financial...

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