PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY

You can take several steps to protect yourself against online fraud. Learn about the various types of fraud, how to report fraudulent sites, how to be protect yourself online, and about Enhanced Login Security for Online Banking.



GENERAL ONLINE BANKING FRAUD PREVENTION GUIDELINES




PASSWORD SECURITY

When choosing a password for a website, such as Online Banking, it is important to choose a strong password - one that you will remember, but can not be easily guessed by someone else.

Password tips:
  1. Whenever possible, choose a strong password that contains at least 8 characters and includes a combination of both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters such as # ! ? @ * & %.
  2. Choose a longer password. A 12-character password is significantly more difficult to guess than a 4-character one.
  3. Do not use your name, phone number, or date of birth as your password.
  4. Change your password regularly (at least every six months).
  5. Never share your password - even with friends or family.
  6. If you must use a shared computer, such as a computer in a school or library, whenever you log in to a website, make sure there is not a checkmark next to "Remember me on this computer" or "Remember my password".
  7. Always remember to log off when leaving sites to which you are logged on. For example, you should always sign out of Online Banking by clicking the "Sign Off" link at the top right-hand corner of the Online Banking window.

PHISHING

Don't get hooked by scammers out phishing.

Internet scammers casting about for people's financial information have a new way to lure unsuspecting victims: They go "phishing."

Phishing, also called "carding," is a high-tech scam that uses spam to deceive consumers into disclosing their credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information.

If you receive an e-mail which appears to be from Central Bank, which you believe may be suspect, please contact the Online Banking Center before responding.

Central Bank will never ask you to send personal or financial information by, in response to, or via a link in an email. Please do not disclose your social security number, your account numbers, your access codes, or personal identification number (PIN) to your accounts to anyone with whom you are not familiar. If you suspect someone had made an unauthorized transaction on your Central Bank accounts or if you believe that any information about you is not accurate, please call us at 877-628-4440.

How "Phishing" Works

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the e-mails pretend to be from businesses the potential victims deal with - for example, their Internet service provider (ISP), online payment service or bank - or even from government agencies (including the FDIC). The perpetrators tell recipients that they need to "update" or "validate" their billing information to keep their accounts active, and direct them to a "look-alike" website of the legitimate business, further tricking consumers into thinking they are responding to a bona fide request. Unknowingly, consumers submit their financial information - not to the businesses - but the scammers, who use it to order goods and services and obtain credit.

Be alert

To avoid getting caught by one of these scams, the Federal Trade Commission offers this guidance:


Visit The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team's (US-CERT) Security Tips on Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks and Staying Safe on Social Network Sites.

Visit the National Cyber Security Alliance's StaySafeOnline.org to learn more about how to use the Internet safely and securely.

Visit the US Department of Justice website to learn more about identity theft and identity fraud, how to avoid becoming a victim, and steps to take if you have become an identity theft or identity fraud victim.

Visit fakechecks.org to learn about different types of fake check scams and how you can avoid becoming a victim.

Visit www.ftc.gov/spam to learn other ways to avoid e-mail scams and deal with deceptive spam.

Visit the FTC's Identity Theft site to learn more about identity theft and how you may help protect yourself.

Visit http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/guard/ to view a presentation produced by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to help protect yourself from electronic scams and identity theft.
The Adobe® Flash® Player is required to view this presentation. The latest version of Adobe Flash Player can be downloaded at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/. Installation questions or troubleshooting help for the Adobe Flash Player can be found at www.adobe.com/support/flash/.

Onguard Online
Visit OnGuardOnline.gov - this site provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information.

Central Bank's Electronic Funds Transfer Customer Agreement is available on our website here, and at each of our branches.

Central Bank may contact you by the phone number or email address we have on file for you if we believe any irregular account or online activity may have occurred. For that reason, we ask that you maintain current contact information with us. While we may ask questions to verify your identity, we will not ask you for passwords or PIN numbers. If you receive a call from anyone who identifies her/himself as being a representative of Central Bank, and you are unfamiliar with the person, or want to be sure the call is actually from us, you may contact the bank directly at 617-628-4000 or 877-628-4440 and ask to speak with that person or department directly.

Back to Top