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Digital Banking

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security center

protect yourself, and your account.

At Five Star Bank, we place our customer's financial well-being at the heart of everything we do. That means doing our part to keep your account information secure, but also being your partner in this journey to help you protect yourself from fraudulent activity.

Technological advancements have changed the way our customers' bank. Whether you bank at home, through a drive-thru, at an ATM, or in our branch- we want to make sure your money and information stays secure. Because the point is you.

what we do.

Five Star Bank may send you a text message or give you a call regarding potential fraudulent transactions. In these communications, we only ask you to verify account transactions- not account details.

We will never contact you for login information, account specifics or card numbers. If you receive a call, text or email asking for these details (even from someone claiming to work for Five Star Bank) please do not respond and contact us immediately at 877.226.5578. As your trusted financial partner, our team asks to be made aware of any instances where account information is requested - especially if you have unintentionally shared any personal details.

Have you been a victim of fraud? Need to report a lost or stolen card?


for your knowledge

Here are some common types of scams today and what to look out for if you are a victim.*



security center woman with cell phone

Phishing

Scammers disguise themselves as a known or trusted company and use email, text, and phone to steal passwords, account numbers, or social security numbers
Messages could include:
  • They’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts on your account.
  • They claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information.
  • You need to confirm some personal or financial information.
  • Include a fake invoice you don’t recognize.
  • They want you to click on a link to make a payment.
  • Say you’re eligible to register for a government refund.
  • Offer a fake coupon for free stuff. 
  •  
  • How to Protect Yourself
  • Use computer security software.
  • Make sure your phone is always up to date – enable automatic updates.
  • Use multi-factor authentication (extra pin/passcode, verification passcode by text, email, app, or face/fingerprint ID).
  • If you don’t know or recognize the person or company that contacted you, then report and delete the message.
  • If you do have an account or recognize the sender – contact the company or person using a legitimate number or contact method to confirm that the message is not a phishing attempt.

gift card scams

Someone calls posing as a government agency or someone of importance saying you owe taxes or some sort of fine and needs it urgently paid.
Scenarios:
  • Caller stresses urgency telling you that you need to pay right away otherwise there will be consequences. The goal is to pressure you into acting quickly without thinking.
  • A huge indicator of a scam call is being asked to purchase a gift card to Target, iTunes, Google Play, or any other store. They will sometimes ask you to go to multiple stores so that the cashiers don't suspect anything.
    • The scammer requests the pin and card number of the gift card and you will not be able to get that money back. 
  • How to Protect Yourself
  • Be aware of the red flags - no business or customer service contact center will ever ask for payments in the form of gift cards.
  • If you are in doubt, contact the business or establishment by a trusted number and confirm.  
elderly man credit card security center scam


Personal Information Protection 

There are a few steps that can help enhance your account and personal information protection.*
___________________________

general best practices 

  • Keep your security software, internet browser, and operating system up to date.
  • Use multi-factor authentication to require two or more credentials to login
  • Back up your data with a secure cloud storage or an external storage device to protect you in the event of a virus, crash, or being hacked.
  • Protect your home network and make ensure its secure.
tips for creating passwords

  • Contain both upper and lower-case characters.
  • Have numbers and special characters (12 or more)
  • Don't base it on personal information, names of family, etc.
  • Do not write it down or store it on-line.
  • Avoid common words
  • Don’t use the same passwords across different accounts

    Try to create passwords that can be easily remembered. One way to do this is create a password based on a song title, affirmation, or other phrase. For example, the phrase might be: "This May Be One Way To Remember" and the password could be: "TmB1w2R!" or "Tmb1W>r~" or some other variation. Do not use either of these examples as passwords! Pa$$w0rd1 is NOT a strong password even though it has upper and lower case, a number, and a special character because it acts like a dictionary word.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers for some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to security protection. 

Can I set up alerts to monitor my account activity?
  • Yes, we make it easy to monitor and manage your accounts with balance and transaction alerts, and notifications for other security related issues such as password protection. Set up account alerts by going into Five Star Bank Digital Banking Settings and then selecting Alerts Options.
How does Five Star Bank monitor my account?
  • When monitoring for fraud, we use a transaction monitoring system and 24/7 real-time debit care monitoring to identify suspicious activity. We may reach out by call, text or email to verify this activity.
What should I do if I plan on traveling?
  • Contact your local branch and ask them to make a travel note. The information is passed on to the Fraud team and listed on your account.
What should I do if I feel I am a victim of identity theft?
  • Please call or visit your local branch and visit the Federal Trade Commission's website (FTC.gov) to report identity theft. 
*source: www.ftc.gov

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