Don't Be Scared By Scams
It could be a dark and stormy night, or it could be broad daylight – scary scams can happen at any time and place! But you don’t need to live in fear. We’ll give you our top tips to spot scary scams so you can keep your account(s) and identity safe – but first, let’s pull off the mask and reveal the most common scams to watch for.
The Scams Scaring Us
The most common types of fraud affecting consumers today are known as “phishing” or “imposter” scams – where a scammer reaches out via phone, text, email, or social media and pretends to be someone you trust. That could be a friend or family member, a bank employee, a Social Security official, an online merchant such as Amazon, or even a potential romantic partner on a dating site.
These scams aren’t always easy to spot. Fraudsters use technology to “spoof” their number and caller ID to make it appear as though it is coming from Hills Bank or another trusted service provider, such as a transaction verifier. Or via email, they’ll use similar-looking email addresses as legitimate businesses.
They may ask you to transfer money or provide personal information, such as your banking credentials, account or debit card number, PIN, CVV (three digit card code), or other sensitive data, such as your Secure Access Code that is sent to verify a login attempt. You should know that bank employees or trusted third parties will NEVER require this information.
How to Avoid Being Scared by Scams
Take your time
Your heart is racing. You can't sit still. An unknown caller is telling you to act NOW before something horrible happens! Scammers try to scare you into taking action without thinking. Take your time and think: does this request make sense?
Scammers often rely on making their targets feel stressed by demanding they take action urgently. That way, potential victims don’t have time to think through whether what the scammer is asking for actually makes sense. You should know that, even when you are contacted by a legitimate organization, you will never need to make an immediate payment or otherwise feel pressured to resolve an issue without thinking it over.
Use known contact information to get in touch
You receive a phone call. The caller's voice seems familiar… but slightly off. They're asking you for money. Could it really be the person they claim to be? Or could it be a bodysnatcher – Or worse, a scammer!
If you are contacted by someone who claims to be from Hills Bank or a reputable third party, take these steps before giving them any information:
- Ask for their name and contact information
- Thank them for the call/message and hang up
- Look up the organization’s contact information on Google or their official website
- Get back in touch to discuss any sensitive information
By getting in touch using official contact channels, you can better protect yourself from phishing/imposter scams.
Get in touch with us
The number one rule in a scary movie? Don’t go alone. The same applies to scams! If you think your information or bank account(s) may have been compromised, give us a call at 1-800-445-5725 (1-800-HILLSBK). We’ll help you handle the situation so you don’t get scared by scams.
- Customer Contact Center hours: Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM.; Saturday 8:00 AM - noon
You can also call us if you receive a communication from someone claiming to be from Hills Bank and want to verify its legitimacy. Otherwise, get in touch with us on hillsbank.com or the Hills Bank mobile app by clicking the “Chat Here” button at the bottom of your screen.
