Online Fraud
Phishing and spoofing
Sometimes criminals may send you email that looks like it has come from Middleburg Bank. These phony emails ask you to go to a Website that also looks like Middleburg Bank and provide your personal account information. These emails may even ask you to call a phone number and provide account information. But the website is a fake.
Some warning signs of potential phishing or spoofing include:
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Asking for personal information should raise a flag since Middleburg Bank emails will never ask you to reply in an email with any personal information, such as your Social Security number, ATM or Debit Card PIN.
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Urgent appeals claim that your account may be closed if you fail to confirm, verify or authenticate your personal information. Middleburg Bank will not ask you to verify information in this way.
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Messages about system and security updates claim that the bank needs to confirm important information due to upgrades and state that you must update your information online. Middleburg Bank will not ask you to verify information in this way.
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Offers that sound too good to be true often are. You may be asked to fill out a short customer service survey in exchange for money being credited to your account, and you are then asked to provide your account number for proper routing of the supposed credit. Middleburg Bank will not request your information in this way.
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Typos and other errors are often the mark of fraudulent emails or websites. Be on the lookout for typos or grammatical errors, awkward writing and poor visual design.
To protect against phishing and spoofing:
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Make sure you are at Middleburg Bank's Website when you sign in to Online Banking. You can type www.middleburgbank.com in your browser. If you’re using a secure browser, it will turn your address bar green.
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If you receive a suspicious email, do not click on any links or reply to it. Simply delete it.
To report a suspicious email that uses Middleburg Bank's name, you can forward it to onlineFSC@middleburgbank.com
Malware
Malware, short for "malicious software," includes viruses, spyware and trojans that are designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system. Malware is often used to steal personal information and commit fraud. There are several easy ways to minimize the risk of malware:
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Downloads from file sharing and social networking sites can be distributions points for malware
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Attachments and free software from unknown sources shouldn’t be opened or installed
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Pop-up advertisements asking for personal or financial information are likely fraudulent, so it's better to close them
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Updated security and system software can protect your computer from malware threats
Vishing
Vishing uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to call, leaving an automated recording. It alerts the consumer that their account has experienced unusual activity. The message instructs the consumer to call the same phone number shown in the spoofed caller ID with the same name as the financial company they are pretending to represent. And sometimes, criminals who try to get consumers to turn over personal data send emails and text messages containing fraudulent phone numbers.
Rather than provide any information, you should contact Middleburg Bank at the customer service number you normally use to verify the validity of the message.
