Customer Spotlights

Scammers use many tactics to steal money—including paying people with fake checks. The phony checks can look like real business checks, personal checks, cashier’s checks or money orders—and be for large sums of money. In a fake check scam, a person you don’t know asks you to deposit a check and send money or gift cards to another person. They may say you need to pay taxes or fees or buy supplies. Common check scams: In these scams, the potential victim gets “paid” by...

It’s well known that people online aren’t always as they appear. However, tens of thousands of internet users fall victim to online romance scams each year, and it can happen to anyone. These scams can be incredibly convincing and are increasingly found across dating sites and social media platforms. Bad actors are very good at appealing to victims’ emotions and feigning personal connections, with the intention of stealing large sums of money and personal information. Luckily, there...

Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts, and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. Add to that this time of expanded use of online banking and the busy holiday shopping season, and the problem is only growing worse. It’s time to put scammers in their place! Online scams aren’t so scary when you know what to look for. And at Planters First Bank, we’re committed to helping you spot them as an extra layer of protection for your account....

A compilation of tips and recommendations from Planters First Bank and its partners on ways to stay safe online, as well as how to avoid cyber threats and scams during this pandemic. Avoiding Cyber Threats and Scams: FTC: Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines FTC & FDA: Tips for Avoiding Coronavirus Scams FTC & FDA: Coronavirus Scams, Part 2 FTC: Beware of Census 2020 Scams! ESET: Beware Scams Exploiting Coronavirus Fears Security Tips for Remote Workers:...

Text messages are becoming the primary way for people to interact with businesses, in fact, texting is the single most used feature on a smartphone. Today's scammers have taken to targeting victims via Short Message Service (SMS) text message scams in addition to traditional email-based phishing attacks. SMS Phishing, or Smishing, is becoming a common method to steal data or install malware on your smartphone. Most phishing scams try to take advantage of natural human emotions of fear or...