Protect Yourself

Cybersecurity Tips

1. Use antivirus software and keep it up to date.
   • Understand and use the security features provided by your PC software, such as those included in many operating systems, browsers and word processing systems.
   • Ensure that your browser uses the strongest encryption available and be aware of the level of encryption used when you connect to various sites and applications. For example, the Meadows Bank Online Banking product currently requires the use of 128-bit encryption.
   • Use only software from reliable vendors
   • Install virus management software on your PC, use it regularly, and keep it up to date.
2. Email do's and don'ts:
   • Use extreme caution when opening email received from unknown sources and pay special attention to any attachments. Do not launch or open an attachment from an unknown source. When in doubt... delete it without opening it.
   • Do not provide your email address to third party websites without reading the privacy and security policies and terms and conditions of these sites to ensure you understand the circumstances in which your email address will be used.
   • Do not use passwords or account numbers in email correspondence.
3. Use hard-to-guess passwords.
   • Select passwords that would be difficult for others to guess and change them frequently.
   • Do not give your passwords to anyone. Do not save passwords on your computer or leave written notes with your password near your PC.
4. Protect your computer from Internet intruders -- use firewalls.
   • Be cautious when downloading and running programs or Java or ActiveX applets as they may contain unsecured data which cannot be filtered by antivirus software.
5. Don't share access to your computers with strangers.
   • Control physical access to your personal computer (PC); that is, do what you can to prevent unauthorized persons from using your PC.
   • If you are using your PC and need to walk away from it for any reason, log off or lock your PC.
6. Disconnect from the Internet when not in use.
   
   
7. Back up your computer data.
   
   
8. Regularly download security protection update patches.
   
   
9. Check your security on a regular basis. When you change your clocks for daylight savings time, reevaluate your computer security.
   
   
10. Make sure your family members and/or your employees know what to do if your computer becomes infected.
    
    
11. Phishing and Pharming
    • "Phishing" and 'Pharming" schemes are on the rise. Please be aware of these fraudulent requests that ask you to "update" or "validate" your financial information (including account numbers, passwords, PINs, SSNs etc.).
    • Phishing emails often contain a link that directs the victim to a fraudulent website that may look very similar to a legitimate financial institution's site.  Once on the fraudulent site, the victim may be asked to enter confidential account information.  Once the information is entered, criminals will use it to transfer funds or make purchases.  Sometimes they do so within just a few minutes.
    • Pharming attacks do not rely on email as in the case of Phishing.  Rather, they attack web browsers and the Internet's addressing system. The effect is that even when a person enters a legitimate web address in their browser, they may be redirected to a phony website, with the same disastrous results as clicking on a phony link in a phishing attack.
    • Never give out your personal financial information in response to an unsolicited phone call, fax, or email, no matter how official it may seem.
    • Financial institutions will never ask you to update your information through an emailed link. Should you receive an email allegedly from Meadows Bank requesting such an update: DO NOT PROVIDE THE INFORMATION and please contact us immediately at 702.471.BANK (2265).
12. If you suspect suspicious or fraudulent activity related to your Meadows Bank account(s), please let us know right away. You should also contact your Internet Service Provider so they may block suspect companies from your email inbox. To learn more about how to control and manage your incoming emails, please refer to your Internet Service Provider's online resources.  You may also wish to file an Internet Crime Complaint by visiting the IC3 website and completing the online form.
    
    
13. For additional information regarding Cybersecurity awareness, you may click here to download a copy of the FDIC Consumer News A Bank Customer's Guide to Cybersecurity.  Additional resources may be found at the FDIC's website.
    
    
14. Ransomware is an ever-evolving form of malware designed to encrypt files on a device, rendering any files and the systems that rely on them unusable. Malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption. StopRansomware.gov is a collaborative initiative by the federal government to make it easier for stakeholders across the private and public sectors to find free, authoritative information, resources, and tools that can help prevent and mitigate ransomware attacks in the United States.
    
    

ATM and Debit Card Security Tips

1. At The ATM
   • Think about your personal safety when using an ATM. Because most ATMs give out cash and many accept deposits, it makes sense to be alert and aware of your surroundings no matter where or when you use an ATM. When you’re by yourself, avoid using an ATM in out-of-the-way or deserted areas. Use ATMs located inside banks or supermarkets where other people are around. Use ATMs in well-lit, public areas.
   • Be sure to look at the ATM. If it looks like someone has tampered with the equipment, don’t use it. (This could mean that a criminal has attached a “skimmer” to the ATM to steal your financial information.) If a suspicious person offers to help you use the ATM, refuse and leave.
   • Put your money and ATM card away before you leave the ATM. Always avoid showing your cash.
   • Always verify that the amount you withdrew or deposited matches the amount printed on your receipt. Shred or destroy your ATM receipts before you throw them away.
2. Report Loss or Theft
   • Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately to the company that issued you the card. If your ATM card or debit card is lost or stolen, contact your bank immediately.
   • To help you respond quickly in case your cards or ID are lost or stolen, make a chart listing your valid cards. Be sure to store the list in a safe place; never carry it with you.
3. Sign Your Card
   • Sign your card on the signature panel as soon as you receive it.
4. Treat Cards Like Cash
   • Protect your cards as if they were cash — never let them out of your possession or control. Don’t leave your credit cards in your car’s glove compartment. A high percentage of credit card thefts are from car glove compartments.
   • Don’t lend your cards — credit, debit, or ATM — to anyone. You are responsible for their use. Don’t let your cards be used by others, even family and friends.
   • Always be sure to take your ATM or debit card out of the ATM.
5. PIN Safety
   • Never write down your personal identification number (PIN), especially on the back of your card. Memorize it.
   • Don’t write down your account number and PIN and carry it with you. If your wallet or purse is stolen, someone else could have access to your money.
   • Never tell anyone your PIN. No one from a financial institution, the police, or a merchant should ask for your PIN. You are the only person who needs to know it.
   • When selecting a PIN, avoid picking a number that is easy for others to guess — for example, your name, telephone number, date of birth, or any simple combination of these.
   • When typing in your PIN at the ATM or when making a point-of-sale purchase, cover the number pad so no one near you can see your PIN.
6. When Shopping
   • When shopping, be sure that you get your card back after every purchase.
   • Always make sure that sales vouchers are for the correct purchase amount before you sign them.
   • Keep copies of your sales vouchers and ATM, debit or credit card receipts in a secure place.
   • Don’t volunteer any personal information when you use your debit or credit card, other than by displaying personal identification as requested by a merchant.
   • Don’t put your driver’s license number on your checks.
   • Review your statements regularly to ensure there are no suspicious charges.
   • Contact your bank immediately if you see a charge you don’t recognize.
7. Avoid Magnets
   • Keep your cards away from things with magnets, which can erase the information stored on the card’s magnetic strip.

Financial Security Tips For Seniors

Identity Theft

• Don't give out financial information online or on the phone unless you initiated the contact and know the party you're dealing with.
• Shred unnecessary financial documents, including old bank statements, invoices and unwanted pre-approved credit offers.
• Promptly retrieve incoming mail and don't put outgoing mail in your residential mailbox.
• If regular bills or statements stop reaching you, take action. Call the company's customer service number. Someone may have filed a false change-of-address notice to divert your mail.
• Watch for suspicious charges. If unauthorized charges appear on your bills or statements, call immediately to resolve the discrepancy.
• Do not preprint personal numbers such as driver's license and social security numbers on your checks.
  

Identity Crisis

• Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus and report that your identity has been stolen.
• Ask that a fraud alert be placed on your file and that no new credit be granted without your approval. For any accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened, contact the security departments of the appropriate creditors or financial institutions. Close these accounts. Put passwords (not your mother's maiden name) on any new accounts you open.
• File a report with your local police or the police where the identity theft took place. Get a copy of the report in case the bank, credit card company, or others need proof of the crime later on.
  

Other Helpful Links and Phone Numbers

Identification Theft

Credit Reporting Bureaus 

Fraud Reporting/Information

Fraudulent Use of Checks