Identity Theft

Identity Theft

Identity theft is the fraudulent use of some else’s personal information (such as social security number, name, date of birth, or account number).

Your security is of the utmost importance at First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas. We believe the best defense against online criminals is for us to keep you as informed as possible.
The following information below can help you protect yourself against identity theft. 

First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas will NEVER ask you to submit personal or account information via email or text.

Cybercriminals

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Cybercriminals have become quite savvy in their attempts to lure people in and get you to click on a link or open an attachment. The email Cybercriminals send can look just like it comes from a financial institution, e-commerce site, government agency or any other service or business. The email often urges you to act quickly, because your account has been compromised, your order cannot be fulfilled or another matter.

If you're unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it with these steps:

• Contact the person(s) directly;
• Contact the person(s) using information provided on an account statement or back of a credit card; or,
• Search for the person(s) online.

Protect Yourself

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Please note that First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas will NEVER ask you to submit personal or account information via email or text. For your protection, any response to an email sent to you should be submitted through our secure website or by phone at 870.633.3112. If you receive an email or text appearing to be from First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas that asks for personal information such as account numbers or Social Security number, DO NOT REPLY. Please notify us immediately.

These resources can help inform you of ways to protect your computer and yourself:

• CFPB Identity Protection Guide (PDF)
• FDIC.gov
  
• StaySafeOnline.org
• FTC.gov

Spam & Phishing

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Spam is the electronic equivalent of junk mail. The term refers to unsolicited, bulk- and often unwanted- email. Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites (clicking on a link) to collect personal and financial information or infect your machine with malware and viruses.

Business Best Practices

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• Download and install the Secure Browser required by us to perform your Cash Management functions.
• Request an IP address restriction on your account so that only the computer(s) you authorize can perform transactions on your account.
• Enable alerts to advise you when ACH batches are initiated, ACH batches are processed and Wires are transmitted.
• Perform transactions on a committed computer that is not used for email or Internet searches.
• Follow recommendations from your network administrator and/or IT specialist.

How do you avoid being a victim?