Consumer Alert - Phishing Scams

To better protect your financial information through the Internet, First Columbia Bank strongly recommends…

(Please note… this is for informational purposes and is not intended to provide legal advice. 
This guidance is not an exhaustive list of actions.  Security threats change constantly.)

• Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, visits, or email messages asking for sensitive information offering deals that are “too good to be true” or compensating you for assisting someone with moving funds;
• Never reveal personal or financial information in an email, and do not respond to email solicitations or hyperlinks for this information;
• Visit websites by manually typing the URL into the browser’s address bar instead of clicking on a link in an email;
• Never send sensitive information over the Internet before checking a website's security (verify "https:");
• Pay attention to the URL of a web site. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net);
• Verify any suspicious email or information request by contacting the company directly;
• Do not use contact information provided on a website connected to a request; instead, check previous statements for contact information;
• Check for known “Phishing” sites with groups such as the Anti-Phishing Working Group (http://www.antiphishing.org);
• Review your credit card and bank statements on a daily basis;
• Immediately report any suspected online abuses to the bank and the proper authorities;
• Install and maintain up-to-date browsers, anti-virus software, firewalls, and email filters on all computers;
• When accessing First Columbia’s Online Banking System (on Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher), please make sure the First Columbia web address is in a secure “Green Bar.”  This “Bar” is an Extended Validation Certificate that will verify that you are on CCFNB Bancorp/First Columbia Bank & Trust Co.’s website –www.firstcolumbiabank.com;
• Strongly consider initiating ACH and wire transfers under dual control with a transaction originator and a separate transaction authorizer;
• Consider establishing daily transaction limits for all Online transactions (Please contact First Columbia to set up limits);
• Please do not share user names and passwords  (Please contact First Columbia to set up additional user names.);
• Please change passwords on a regular basis;
• Create strong passwords that include a combination of mixed case letters, numbers and special characters; and
• Please do not access bank, brokerage or other financial institution information at Internet cafes, public libraries, etc. 

Please remember… First Columbia Bank & Trust Co. will never send customers email or text messages asking for “sensitive personal financial information.”  If you receive an email or text message asking for “sensitive personal financial information” for your First Columbia Bank & Trust Co. accounts, please do not open the message and delete immediately.

If you would have any questions, please contact First Columbia’s Operations Department at 570-387-7144.