Now What?

Fraud can happen to anyone, no matter your age or status. Scammers have very persuasive methods to steal your money or personal information. Even the most alert person is not immune to fraud attempts. Here’s what you should do if you think you’ve been scammed.

Whether or not you can get refunded or how you get your money back will vary based on how the payment was sent. For example, paying a person with a credit or debit card or gift card would require you to contact the company or bank that issued it. In this scenario, you would let the representative know it was a fraudulent charge or a scam and ask them to reverse the transaction. If you sent a check or cash by mail and it is still in transit, you will need to contact the issuing bank to see if the check can be canceled or the US Postal Inspection Service to see if the package can be intercepted.

Did you give them your sensitive information?
Sensitive information mistakenly given to a scammer may include but is not limited to the following: your social security number, PIN, username and passwords, date of birth, and security question answers. Remember, a bank or other reputable institution will never ask for this information unprompted. Notify your financial institutions immediately, so they are aware that your information has been stolen.

If this information has been given, you should update passwords to any financial accounts by creating strong and unique passwords. You may also want to update your security questions on any websites if applicable. If your social security number is given in the case of fraud, visit IdentityTheft.gov for action steps.

At Flatwater Bank, we value keeping your information safe from scammers. Learn more about the ways we keep your information secure here. To stay up to date on the latest scams, visit our insider tips page.