Man shopping on a laptop with a credit card
Welcome to our Support & Security page! Nebraska State Bank will post tips here on how to protect yourself from common scams, as well as discuss other safety and security issues that might affect our customers.
If you have gotten suspicious calls, letters, emails or online messages, or you feel like something isn’t quite right with your account, please contact us immediately at (308) 772-3234.
Text And Email = Great. Text and Email Scams = Not So Great
We all love text and email, as they allow us to not speak with our friends and family.
All kidding aside, it’s a pretty great form of communication. But a huge benefit of an actual phone call is that when a relative calls, we know it’s them, and not some creepy scammer.
So if you get a text or email from someone in your social circle stating that they’ve come into some money—lotto winnings, inheritance, etc.—and you just need to pay them a small amount to collect it—immediately look up your friend/relative’s phone number, and voice/video call them.
Criminals can fake your contacts’ numbers and names so they can chat you up, then try to scam you. So when money’s involved, don’t trust a text or email.
And in general, if you’re trying to do a transaction with someone who wants you to use some kind of gift card like google play cards, walk away.
Social Security Spoof Calls
Speaking of spoofing, scammers are also faking legitimate phone numbers/caller IDs to try to scam people out of social security numbers. So if you get a call that says in effect,” we found unusual activity on your social security number,” just ignore it.
COVID Scams Are Afoot
Just in time for Christmas comes a slew of COVID scams:
There’s the COVID test kit scam, which asks you to provide a credit card number or personal information to have a non-existent test kit shipped to you.
There’s a COVID vaccine hospital/VA scam, seen on hospital letterhead as well as VA hospital letterhead, which also asks for a card number or personal info in return for getting a non-existent COVID vaccine.
And there’s a treatment COVID scam, which asks you to part with your hard-earned money for questionable products that will not cure COVID, and if they’re shipped to you at all, they may harm you.
We’re all anxious to be done with this virus, but do not be taken by these fraudsters. These are all fake, but if there’s something about them that looks legitimate, like the letterhead of a local hospital, look up the hospital’s number and call them or your doctor directly to verify!
Fake Amazon “Tech Support” Scam
Scammers use the names of huge companies like Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon, because they know that many of us use their services.
One current scam involves being contacted by someone, supposedly from Amazon, about a tech support issue with your phone. They will request remote access to your phone, and once they have it, they can access banking info, emails, texts…and wreak havoc.
While this usually affects non-iPhone phones, everyone should just ignore them!
Informative Online Scam Report
The Better Business Bureau has released an excellent report detailing the state of online scams in 2020, and it’s scary: In just the last five years, online purchase scams reported to the BBB resulting in a monetary loss increased 50 percent. Facebook and Google are two of the biggest platforms where these scams take place.
There’s a lot of useful info you can use to protect yourself and your family in this report, and you can view it here: BBB Online Scam Report
Be Wary Of Bad Charities
Garden County residents have received checks in the mail from various fake charities, including a supposed disabled veterans’ foundation charity. The checks are normally only for a few dollars, and are sometimes accompanied by small gifts with the purpose of “guilting” you into donating.
Our residents were cautious enough not to send money, nor provide any personal or banking information—a good thing, since the checks couldn’t be cashed.
Charity donations are an important part of this wonderful holiday season, so if you want to donate to a reputable one, visit www.charitywatch.org or www.charitynavigator.org
Please Review Your Monthly Statements
As you sift through paperwork this tax season, Nebraska State Bank would like to remind you to review your account statements each month. You have 60 days from your statement date to receive credit for any incorrect transactions, after which all deposit and withdrawal slips are shredded.
Screen of Death Tech Support Scam: an oldie but a goodie, this computer scam is making the rounds again:
First, your computer is infected, and then it shows a frozen screen and a message. Examples include “your computer has been locked/blocked/frozen,” “your credit card/banking/Facebook login details have been stolen,” “your computer has a virus,” or “call Microsoft tech support.”
When you call the provided phone number, a very convincing scammer tries to get you to pay for “tech support” to remove their malicious software. Do not call this number. Instead turn off your computer, and contact Nebraska State Bank immediately. We will decide what steps need to be taken to protect you and your accounts. And it’s critical that after such an attack, you take your computer to a reputable tech support business and have it wiped completely before it is safe to use again!
The best defense against computer viruses like this are high computer security settings, and quality anti-virus and anti-malware programs that automatically update and run daily.
Check Cashing Scam: someone calls you on the phone, and they offer to open a bank account in your name if you’ll just cash a couple checks for them. Turns out the checks are from a real bank account, but it doesn’t belong to the person on the phone! And if you fall for it, you could be pursued for any money owed from that transaction.
Just say no, or better yet, let your voicemail take every call that you don’t recognize!
Here are the scams making the rounds right now:
Robocall Checking Account / Card Scam: an automated voice says that a large transaction has been initiated from your checking account or card, and asks you to say yes to authorize it. The tricky part is that it says if you want to cancel this transaction, to call the phone number of their “billing department” where they will try to get your account or card information. They are trying to steal your information, so don’t call them!
Child Trafficking SSN Scam: another troubling scam is a call saying that some of the digits in your social security number are being used in child trafficking. Again, do not engage these people, as they are fishing for your full social security number and other personal or financial information.
The lesson here is to first, let the answering machine/voice mail take any call that you don’t recognize. But if you pick up the phone, do not give them any information!
Cyber scams have gotten so good that even we can nearly fall for them.
A recent rash of fake PayPal/Netflix emails have asked NSB employees and customers alike to click a link to update payment information. Of course they aren’t legitimate emails, and giving these scammers your account or card info can result in lost money and much frustration.
With our busy lives and occasionally changing card numbers, it’s easy to mindlessly click somewhere, update the numbers, and get on with our day. But instead of clicking an email link, first ask yourself, do I actually pay for this service or share it with a family member? Did I actually get an updated card number? Going to the website or mobile app itself is the safest way to check the account status.
According to the FBI, millions of elderly Americans fall victim to some type of financial fraud or confidence scheme. These scams cost seniors more than $3 billion each year.
Criminals gain your trust through computer, phone, and mail communication, as well as through TV and radio. Once successful, scammers are likely to keep a scheme going because of the prospect of significant financial gain.
Learn more about these scams below, so you don’t become a victim of these heinous crimes.
Common Elder Fraud Schemes
Romance scam: Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on social media or dating websites to capitalize on their elderly victims’ desire to find companions.
Tech support scam: Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues. The scammers gain remote access to victims’ devices and sensitive information.
Grandparent scam: Criminals pose as a relative—usually a child or grandchild—claiming to be in immediate financial need (in jail, etc.).
Government impersonation scam: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute victims unless they agree to provide funds or other payments.
Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim to work for legitimate charitable organizations to gain victims’ trust. Or they claim their targets have won a foreign lottery or sweepstake, which they can collect for a “fee.”
Home repair scam: Criminals appear in person and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement services that they never provide.
TV/radio scam: Criminals target potential victims using illegitimate advertisements about legitimate services, such as reverse mortgages or credit repair.
Family/caregiver scam: Relatives or acquaintances of the elderly victims take advantage of them or otherwise get their money.
How To Protect Yourself
For more information, please visit www.fbi.gov
How to Protect Your Computer
Here are some key steps to protecting your computer from intrusion:
For more information, please visit www.fbi.gov