Watch out for Corona-Criminals

In a time of uncertainty and isolation we are all reaching for more information, especially from respected institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and respected hospitals and research facilities. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are using the names of these institutions to lure unsuspecting individuals into fake offers, giving out personal information, and clicking on download links that can infect their computers. This can lead to fraud, identity theft and the loss of account information and passwords. As with all things related to the coronavirus outbreak, it pays to be vigilant.

In short, if you have accessed an online article, blog, or website that is not familiar, and you don’t feel 100% safe, do not click on offers or download documents, interactive maps or programs. This may be an attempt to introduce a malicious computer virus, ransom-ware or other program into your phone, tablet or PC for the purpose of collecting your personal information. If you click on a link and you are asked for permission to download, or give access to your photos, contacts, etc., think twice. Do you really understand what this program or app is going to do with the information you are providing? Like the coronavirus, we need to be very careful about the things that we virtually touch and what we allow to touch us!

See below two recent articles from the Federal Trade Commission about coronavirus scams, or go to www.ftc.gov, or type “FTC coronavirus scams” into your browser’s search bar.

• https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing
• https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/03/ftc-coronavirus-scams-part-2

If you feel that you might be a victim of identity theft or you have a question about the safety of your accounts or your login information please contact us. We can help.

And remember, Affinity Plus Checking Accounts includes the following protection for the low cost of $7 per month.

• Fully Managed Identity Theft Recovery
• Identity Theft Expense Reimbursement Insurance – up to $25,000*
• Credit Monitoring
• Rapid Credit Alerts
• Monthly Credit Score
• Annual Credit Report
• Dark Web Monitoring
• Mobile Device Protection

*Identity theft expense reimbursement insurance is underwritten by Lyndon Southern Insurance Company, a member of the Fortegra family of companies. The information provided is a program summary. Please refer to the Identity Theft Expense Reimbursement Evidence of Coverage forms for additional information including details of benefits, specific exclusions, terms, conditions and limitations of coverage. Coverage is currently not available to residents of the state of New York and may not be available in other U.S. territories or jurisdictions in the future. ** MONITORING SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO THE PRIMARY ACCOUNT HOLDER ON AN ENTITLED BASIS AND REQUIRE CONSUMER ACTIVATION BEFORE THE SERVICES ARE ACTIVE. Proactive Monitoring Services are applicable to individuals age 18 and older who have a valid credit file. Credit Services are provided by TransUnion®, subject to change. The credit score provided may not be consistent with the credit score model used by a lender, and therefore cannot be relied upon to determine creditworthiness for any particular loan opportunity.