A scam that’s almost as old as time, but will continue to target the most vulnerable, is the Grandparent Scam. Although the scammer doesn’t always pretend to be a child or grandchild, they will often pose as a family member in trouble. According to our Fraud Team, there has been rise in reports of scammers contacting New […]
Warrant Scam Targets NH Residents
Scammers posing as federal agents or local law enforcement are contacting local residents and are presenting them with fake arrest warrants. It’s called the warrant scam, and the only way scammers say you can settle the warrant is by paying up front in the form of cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer payment (P2P). According to […]
Avoid Student Loan Debt Relief Scams
The Department of Education is now accepting applications for the federal student loan forgiveness program, and you can bet scammers are trying to take advantage of those seeking debt relief. The program provides eligible borrowers with full or partial discharge of loans up to $20,000 and reviews applications on a rolling basis, so beware of those who […]
10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Fraud
Fraud can happen to anyone at any time and you could be a scammer’s next target. Even if you think your identity and online accounts are safe and secure, it’s still important to take the following steps to protect yourself: Review your credit at least once a year. By law, you’re entitled to one free credit report […]
Pay Yourself Scam: Keep Your Money Safe!
A recent scam utilizing peer-to-peer payment (P2P) services is tricking people into sending money directly to scammers. It’s known as the “Pay Yourself Scam”. Scammers pretend to be a representative from the person’s bank, contacting them about a “fraudulent” transaction. In order to stop it, the person needs to send money to themselves. Here’s how it works:It starts […]
Fraudsters Impersonating Bank Representatives in Imposter Scam
Imposter scams vary, but they all work the same way. It begins with a call, text or email from a scammer who is pretending to be someone the person trusts (i.e. government agent, local law enforcement, family member) in order to convince them to send money, oftentimes, in the form of gift cards, mobile payment, wire […]
Businesses: Ducktail Malware Used to Hack Facebook Business Accounts
A new type of malware has been discovered in a spear-phishing campaign targeting marketing and HR professionals across social media platforms, specifically LinkedIn. According to reports, hackers identify businesses who use Facebook Ads and Business services, then reach out to their LinkedIn profiles, typically managed by Marketing or HR departments, in an effort to steal information […]
Businesses: Scammers Redirecting Payroll
Scammers have found a new way to take advantage of businesses, especially those with a large number of employees and locations. They are now impersonating legitimate employees and sending phishing emails, or directly calling HR and Payroll professionals to request a change to their bank account information. Once the change is made, the employee’s payroll is diverted […]
Going Mobile: How to Stay Safe and Secure
One of the perks of banking with Merrimack County Savings Bank is access to free mobile banking. It’s easy to use and always there when you need it. Unfortunately, it’s also easy to get caught in a scammer’s web. Suddenly, you’re sending money to someone you don’t know instead of paying your utility bill. 4 Steps to Stay Safe […]
Protecting Seniors From Financial Abuse
As people over 50 years old control over 70% of the nation’s wealth, fraudsters are using new tactics to take advantage of retiring baby boomers and the growing number of older Americans. In 2021, senior financial abuse cost victims at least $2.9 billion, not only depriving them of their resources but their independence as well. Taking simple […]