Phishing (Email Scams)

What is Phishing?
Phishing is the practice of sending fraudulent email messages to addresses asking recipients to supply confidential information. The message can be directed at a small number of targeted recipients, but is most often mass mailed or “spammed” to thousands of potential victims. The email is disguised to look like a request from a legitimate organization such as a bank, a credit card company, or a retail merchant with which the recipients may already have a business relationship.

Identifying a fake (phishing) email
Many phishing emails try to deceive you with the threat that your account will be in jeopardy if it’s not updated right away or that it has been compromised. An email that urgently requests you to supply sensitive personal information is typically fraudulent.

Most phishing emails have a link that looks valid, but send you to a fraudulent site that may or may not have a web page address different from the link.

Fake emails often, but may not always, contain misspellings, poor grammar, missing words, and gaps in logic. These types of mistakes help scammers avoid spam filters.

What should I do if I receive an email requesting personal information?
Never provide your account number, PIN, password or any other confidential information via Email or via a Website link you receive that is attached to an Email.

Do not respond to the request in any way or open any attachments. Instead, notify the financial institution or merchant using a phone number you know to be correct.

First State Bank will never ask you to provide, update or verify personal or account information (social security information, password, account number) through unsolicited Email.

Security Center