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Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity


Security Reminder: Beware of anyone asking you for your passwords and PINs (Personal Identification Number) to your bank and financial applications, products and services. This is a tactic frequently used by fraudsters to gain access to your accounts and steal your funds. Never provide your passwords and PINs to anyone. Central Pacific Bank will never contact you asking for your passwords or PINs.

Information provided by FDIC Consumer News


Protect yourself from fraudsters. Fraudsters may impersonate Central Pacific Bank and try to get you to reveal your personal, bank account, and financial information so they can steal from you. If you are not certain that a call, email, text, letter or communication is from Central Pacific Bank, please verify by calling our Customer Service at (808) 544-0500. If you believe you inadvertently provided information to a fraudster, please contact us immediately. For further information regarding ways to avoid fraud and identity theft please visit the FTC website: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0060-10-things-you-can-do-avoid-fraud.


Most people looking at their bank statements would probably notice if their credit or debit card were used without their approval to purchase a big ticket item, and they would quickly call their bank or card issuer to report the error or fraudulent transaction. But consumers are less likely to be suspicious of very small charges, including those less than a dollar ... which is why criminals like to make them.

“These small transactions might be signs that someone has learned your account information and is using it to commit a crime,” said Michael Benardo, manager of the FDIC's Cyber Fraud and Financial Crimes Section. “That’s why it’s important to be on the lookout for fraudulent transactions, no matter how small.”

He added, “When thieves fraudulently obtain someone else’s credit or debit card information and create a counterfeit card, they might test it out with a small transaction — like buying a pack of gum or a soda — to make sure the counterfeit card works before using it to make a big purchase. If this test goes unnoticed by the true account holder, thieves will use the card to buy something expensive that they want or that they can easily sell for cash.”

In one example, the Federal Trade Commission alleged that a group of individuals stole nearly $10 million by making charges to more than a million credit and debit cards that went unnoticed by most of cardholders because the transactions ranged from 20 cents to $10.

Even a small deposit in your checking or savings account that you weren’t expecting could be a sign that criminals have learned your account information and are trying to link your account to theirs so they can fraudulently withdraw money, perhaps your entire balance. Note: Be aware that if you ask to link your accounts at two different financial institutions, such as when setting up automatic transfers for investment or payment purposes, many banks and other payment providers may make test charges or deposits of less than $1 to verify that the proper arrangements have been made.

What can consumers to do protect themselves? Be on the lookout for small transactions you don’t think you’ve conducted or authorized. “The best way to catch this kind of fraud is to regularly and thoroughly review your bank and credit card statements to look for transactions that you didn’t initiate,” Benardo said. “If you have online access to your bank and credit card accounts, it is a good idea to check them regularly, perhaps weekly, for suspicious activity.”

Immediately contact your bank or credit card issuer if you see a transaction that you didn’t authorize and ask for it to be reversed. Debit card users in particular should promptly report an unauthorized transaction. While federal protections for credit cards cap losses from fraudulent charges at $50, a consumer’s liability limit for a debit card could be up to $500 or more if you don’t notify your bank within two business days after discovering the theft.

Also ask your bank or credit card issuer about additional precautions it could take to prevent fraud on your account. “For a period of time, it might monitor your account more closely for fraudulent transactions,” Benardo said. “Or, it may determine that the best course of action is to close your current account and issue you a new card with a new account number.”


Reminders about 10 simple things bank customers can do to help protect their computers and their money from online criminals

1. Have computer security programs running and regularly updated to look for the latest threats. Install anti-virus software to protect against malware (malicious software) that can steal information such as account numbers and passwords, and use a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your computer.

2. Be smart about where and how you connect to the Internet for banking or other communications involving sensitive personal information. Public Wi-Fi networks and computers at places such as libraries or hotel business centers can be risky if they don’t have up-to-date security software.

3. Get to know standard Internet safety features. For example, when banking or shopping online, look for a padlock symbol on a page (that means it is secure) and “https://” at the beginning of the Web address (signifying that the website is authentic and encrypts data during transmission).

4. Ignore unsolicited emails asking you to open an attachment or click on a link if you’re not sure it’s who truly sent it and why. Cybercriminals are good at creating fake emails that look legitimate, but can install malware. Your best bet is to either ignore unsolicited requests to open attachments or files or to independently verify that the supposed source actually sent the email to you by making contact using a published email address or telephone number.

5. Be suspicious if someone contacts you unexpectedly online and asks for your personal information. A safe strategy is to ignore unsolicited requests for information, no matter how legitimate they appear, especially if they ask for information such as a Social Security number, bank account numbers and passwords.

6. Use the most secure process you can when logging into financial accounts. Create “strong” passwords that are hard to guess, change them regularly, and try not to use the same passwords or PINs (personal identification numbers) for several accounts.

7. Be discreet when using social networking sites. Criminals comb those sites looking for information such as someone’s place of birth, mother’s maiden name or a pet’s name, in case those details can help them guess or reset passwords for online accounts.

8. Be careful when using smartphones and tablets. Don’t leave your mobile device unattended and use a device password or other method to control access if it’s stolen or lost.

9. Parents and caregivers should include children in their cybersecurity planning. Talk with your child about being safe online, including the risks of sharing personal information with people they don’t know, and make sure the devices they use to connect to the Internet have up-to-date security.

10. Small business owners should have policies and training for their employees on topics similar to those provided in this checklist for customers, plus other issues that are specific to the business. For example, consider requiring more information beyond a password to gain access to your business’s network, and additional safety measures, such as requiring confirmation calls with your financial institution before certain electronic transfers are authorized