What is “phishing”? It is one of the most commonly used tactics today to steal a person’s online banking password, secure access code, or sensitive information. It starts with a convincing story or emotional appeal. Some examples recently used:

Crooks use clever schemes to defraud millions of people every year. They often combine new technology with old tricks to get people to send money or give out personal information. Here are some practical tips to help you stay a step ahead.

Cybersecurity is the art of protecting networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access or criminal use and the practice of ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. It seems that everything relies on computers and the internet now—communication (e.g., email, smartphones, tablets), entertainment (e.g., interactive video games, social media, apps ), transportation (e.g., navigation systems), shopping (e.g., online shopping, credit cards), medicine (e.g., medical equipment, medical records), and the list goes on. How much of your daily life relies on technology? How much of your personal information is stored either on your own computer, smartphone, tablet or on someone else's system?

Check fraud remains one of the most common schemes that victimize consumers and commercial entities every day. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reported 680,000 cases of check fraud reported by financial institutions in 2022, nearly doubling from those reported during 2021.

During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, reported incidents of fraud and identity theft increased in frequency substantially. According to the FTC, identity theft complaint frequency rose 113% year-over-year during 2020, with 33% of adults in the United States experiencing some form of identity theft. During 2021, complaint volume grew again, with identity theft comprising about 24% of the 5.9 million overall complaints related to fraud. During this time, the most common complaint types involved government documents / benefits fraud.

Movies are filled with depictions of computer hackers obtaining quick access to their target systems by guessing or cracking a password. In reality, it’s even easier: often the cyber attacker simply needs to send an email or text requesting a password. Anyone can fall for a trick like that if they are caught off-guard. This is known as “phishing,” and it is the number one way for today’s modern cyber security defenses to crumble.

You’ve purchased your new personal computer, connected to your home network. What happens next? Microsoft (or Apple depending on your preference) begins a seemingly never-ending process of “updating.” Sometimes comforting and sometimes annoying, our computers seem to want to update all of the time, requiring reboots, delays, and sometimes breaking things. Why all the fuss about updates?

Most people know that a difficult-to-guess password is the safest kind of password. But difficult passwords are also the hardest to use. Can passwords really be both SAFE and EASY? They can be – if you use a password manager.

A romance scheme occurs when a bad actor creates a fake online persona to gain a victim’s trust within the context of a potential romantic relationship. Fraudsters can masterfully leverage social media or dating websites to construct convincing, attractive, and intriguing profiles for targets. Once a target victim is acquired, the fraudster will lay the groundwork for next steps; they will seem authentic, credible, relatable, and attentive. Often the fraudster will claim to be from the United States but working elsewhere overseas, to provide a built-in reason as to why an in-person meet-up cannot be arranged. These fraudsters take advantage of lonely, vulnerable people by learning how to quickly establish trust and prey on human emotion.

Malware – short for “malicious software” – is any program that runs on your system that is unauthorized by you or performs some unauthorized function. The person who created the malware may intend to cause you or your system harm, steal your private information, or hold your data for ransom. Frequently banking fraud is facilitated by malware, since malware is able to watch web traffic and read information stored on your system (including passwords!). And malware attacks are increasing once again in 2022, with an 11% increase in volume this year according to SonicWall.

Many Americans are utilizing investment accounts to build wealth. In fact, sums held in investments often exceed what would typically be held in a checking or savings account. Additionally, the average consumer likely does not check in on their investment account activity as often as they review their checking account balance. What does this all add up to? Vast opportunities for fraudsters to target unsuspecting consumers. Read on to learn how can protect your accounts.

Elder financial abuse is a type of fraud which involves the misappropriation of financial resources belonging to an elder, within the context of a relationship where there is an expectation of trust and care. In other words, elder financial abuse happens when elderly individuals are preyed upon for financial gain. These schemes can range from simple theft in the form of unauthorized check cashing, to legal document abuse such as fraudulent transfer of Power of Attorney, to more complex schemes such as extortion.

May 4th is World Password Day, a day set aside for ensuring that your password is still doing its important work. Is your password keeping your personal and financial information secure? Or is it a weak link in your personal security practices? Let’s consider some ways to ensure that your password is still effective to protect you.

Tax day is right around the corner, on April 18! Review some common scams, recommendations, and best practices for filing taxes safely and avoiding potential fraud or identity theft!

Business Email Compromise (BEC) happens when cybercriminals gain access to an employee’s legitimate business email through social engineering or computer intrusion. The criminal then impersonates the employee—often a senior executive or someone who can authorize payments—and instructs others to transfer