Phishing
Disclosure

Phishing Disclosure

Phishing Scams – “Phishing” for Information

IWB is committed to protecting the confidentiality and security of its customers. For that reason, it is our mission to inform you about the latest variety of high-tech fraud known as “phishing”. Preying on unsuspecting Internet users, these online bandits are distributing deceptive emails for their own unlawful financial gain. With up to 5% of email recipients responding, they are unintentionally opening the door to identity theft.

Unlike the traditional rod and reel, this scam attempts to hook its victims through counterfeit email requests designed to frighten or entice the consumer. The phishers often use emails disguised as legitimate sources and fraudulent websites to fool recipients into providing personal financial information such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. The official-looking messages tell recipients that, because of technical problems, billing information and social security numbers for their accounts must be resubmitted or validated. The information is then used to transfer money, make payments, and other illegal acts that will inevitably damage the victim’s credit. Email scams may also carry worms or viruses that can further harm you by dropping damaging viruses onto your computer system.

Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. Avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited email, particularly emails that ask for personal, financial, or identity information. The safest approach is to immediately delete email from unknown sources, before opening them. Furthermore, do not email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information.

Often used in connection with email fraud schemes, fraudsters will create an imitation Web page similar to that of the authentic company Web site. For example, the address of the phony Web site or Web page may use a common misspelling of the company’s name or may add a word, symbol or number before or after the name. Many financial institutions use e-mail to communicate with customers and direct them to their Web sites where the customers may be asked to enter personal information as part of registering for a service, such as online banking or accessing account information. However, if the email wasn’t initiated in response to an action by the consumer, it’s a good idea to go directly to the organization’s Web site by entering the Web site’s address (URL) rather than linking to it from an email.

If you intend on conducting a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization’s Web site, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a Web site that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). You should always review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to be sure there are no unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, contact your credit card company or bank promptly to confirm your billing address and account balances.

In an effort to not only make our customers more aware, but to also cut the line on such criminal activity, we ask you to remain alert to suspicious email and/or Web site activity. If you believe that you have been scammed, either forward the suspicious e-mails to the Federal Trade Commission at uce@ftc.gov, or file your complaint at ftc.gov, then visit the FTC’s Identity Theft Web site ftc.gov/idtheft to learn how to minimize your damage from identity theft. If you suspect that you have received a fraudulent email or phone call claiming to be from Iron Workers Bank, please report the incident immediately to the closest branch personnel or call 610-497-1800.

As a reminder, never disclose any personal identifying information if requested via an unsolicited email or phone call. No reputable organization would dispatch an email asking you to send a response containing personal or private information such as credit card numbers or account numbers, Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) or passwords, Social Security Number, mother’s maiden name, etc.