Customer Alerts
Social Engineering
Social engineering is a collection of techniques used to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. The term typically applies to trickery for information gathering or computer system access and in most (but not all) cases the attacker never comes face-to-face with the victim. This technique is accomplished by using email, telephones, fraudulent web pages, spyware, viruses, or any other way the information can be gathered. You should never tell anyone your passwords.
Protecting yourself against "Phishing," a type of online fraud.
What is Phishing?
Identity theft over the Internet is on the rise and “Phishing” is one form of fraud that attempts to obtain your personal information through the use of emails, websites, and popups. This type of fraud occurs when you receive an email that is sent as though the email is from a legitimate company. The email will request sensitive personal information by telling you to either supply the information in a popup window or by clicking on a web link that sends you to a counterfeit web site. Once the information is obtained the data may be unlawfully used against you to create transactions on your existing accounts.
How can I identify these fraudulent emails?
Keep in mind that Western National Bank will not send emails asking for customer information. Any such emails should be reported.
Fraudulent emails will ask you for your confidential information. These emails will appear as though your account information has expired and will ask you to update your account with current information as soon as possible. Some examples of this information may include user names, passwords, account numbers, credit card numbers, addresses, social security numbers, and phone numbers.
Fraudulent emails may appear to be from a genuine source. Many “Phishing” emails are constructed as though the email appears to be from a legitimate email address. The email may contain actual company logos and be very professionally worded. The sender of the email can also easily manipulate the address of the email to make it look as though it is from a trusted source.
Fraudulent emails will also link to bogus Web sites. Once a web link is clicked in the counterfeit email a phony website may be displayed that appears to be official. The website will then proceed to prompt you for your confidential information.
Fraudulent email may also contain bogus phone numbers. Fake Phone numbers may be used to make the email or website appear as though it is legitimate. The email or website could also contain actual phone numbers of the company. The thought is that if the email contains a company phone number then the email must be legitimate. Look up the phone number in a phone book and call to verify the email.
What should I do if I find one of these emails?
Do not click on any of the links in the email. If you find an email that you believe to be fraudulent either call our customer service department at (432) 617-1200 or email fraudemail@westernnb.com to report it immediately as a fraudulent email.
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