Mobile Fraud
Fake Mobile Banking Apps
Criminals may develop and publish fake mobile banking applications attempting to steal your Online Banking credentials. Here are tips for recognizing an unofficial Middleburg Bank application:
- The developer or author of the application is not Middleburg Bank
- The application is being promoted on a third party site, somewhere other than the official application store for your mobile device
- There is a charge for downloading the application—Middleburg Bank does not currently charge for mobile application downloads
To help protect your accounts and information, don't download or install a Middleburg Bank Mobile Banking App if you spot any of these warning signs.
SMShing
SMShing is phishing that happens via SMS text message. A criminal sends a text messages tricking you into replying with financial or personal information or clicking on links that will sneak viruses onto your mobile device. To guard against these scams:
- Don't respond to a text message that requests personal or financial information. Middleburg Bank will never ask you to respond in this way.
- Verify the phone numbers that appear in a text message. Store Middleburg Bank phone numbers in your mobile contacts for a quick cross-check. Or, you can go to the Contact Us page.
Stolen devices
Mobile phones and tablets offer convenience, but they’re also easy to lose or steal, which can put your information at risk.
- Password-protect your device so it can’t be accessed unless the password is entered
- Enable an automatic screen-locking mechanism to lock the device when it’s not actively being used
- Consider using a remote wipe program, this will give you the ability to send a command to your device that will delete any data
- Keep a record of the device's make, model and serial number in case it's stolen
Traditional online threats
Viruses, malware and other programs that steal your personal information or financial details are also able to infect some mobile devices.
- Some tablets may support traditional anti-virus products. Consider installing AV if supported on your device
- Back-up the device's data. This will allow you to restore the data if you need to wipe the memory to remove a harmful software threat
Stay vigilant about security when taking advantage of the convenience these devices offer.
