Security

At The First National Bank of Wynne, we take security very seriously. Thereby, with the recent increase in various types of fraudulent activity purported against consumers, we feel it is important for our customers to be educated on the various scams taking place, and also knowledgeable of the steps you would need to take if you are the victim of one of these crimes.

Phishing

Phishing is a crime whereby fraudulent e-mails are sent out, claiming to be from legitimate businesses, financial institutions or web sites, asking for personal and confidential information to be submitted for verification purposes. For Example:

An e-mail is received from "what appears to a be" a site or business that a person has a working relationship with, asking the person for account information, stating that the organization is "updating its records". The e-mail provides a link or form which appears to come from the legitimate organization. However, the site or link is actually a forged or "spoofed" site appearing very similar to the legitimate businesses site. If the victim submits the information that the e-mail has requested, he/she has actually submitted information to someone who will possibly use it for identity theft purposes.

What can you do to protect yourself?

• Do not respond to e-mail's requesting personal information such as passwords, credit card numbers, account numbers, or social security numbers.
• When utilizing web sites that require personal and confidential information, enter in the address of the site manually. Do not use links from e-mail.
• Always monitor your accounts for suspicious activity, and notify your financial institution immediately if you feel there is an issue.

NOTE: The First National Bank of Wynne will never request personal or confidential information through e-mail.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is the act of assuming someone else's identity through name, social security number, and other information to utilize for financial gain. Often the criminal, utilizing the victims identity, will use credit cards or other financial resources to fund their lifestyle, while simultaneously destroying the victims credit history.

What can you do to protect yourself from Identity Theft?

• Be careful to whom you give out personal and confidential information, inquire to how it will be used, and if they will share the information.
• Properly destroy all documents containing confidential information before disposing of it in the trash. Often victims information is retrieved from dumpsites and trash bins.
• Document and keep in a safe place, credit card information and customer service phone numbers, in case of theft, thereby giving you the ability to quickly cancel the accounts.
• And most importantly, monitor all of your accounts. Finding a problem early, will often limit your liability.

To report Identity Theft, you should contact these agencies

FTC's ID Theft Hotline
( 1-877-IDTHEFT)

Credit Bureau Hotlines
Equifax - 1-800-525-6285
Experian - 1-888-397-3742
Transunion - 1-800-680-7289

Account Fraud

The First National Bank of Wynne is committed to protecting your information, and we encourage you the customer to take steps in doing so also. If you suspect fraud on one of your accounts with The First National Bank of Wynne, please contact our Customer Service Department as soon as possible.

For more news and resources on Fraud, Identity Theft, and Phishing, click on one of the links below.

'Phishing' scams reel in your identity - CNN - January 26, 2004

How Not to Get Hooked by a 'Phishing' Scam - FTC (Federal Trade Commission) - January 2003

Identity Theft and Fraud - US Department of Justice - March 2000