A Rise in Scam Attempts

Scam Attempts on Business Customers

In recent weeks, several Norway Savings Bank business customers have received calls from fraudsters falsely identifying themselves as Norway Savings Bank employees in an attempt to obtain usernames, passwords, and security codes associated with business soft tokens. In some cases, the calls appear to be coming from fraudulent numbers falsely appearing as Norway Savings Bank. In addition, a variety of fraudulent texts, falsely claiming to be from Norway Savings Bank and other banks have been sent by fraudsters to customers asking you to click on links to deny fake charges or resolve fake activities. 

Please remember the following at all times:
NSB would never ask for your account information over the phone or email.
If the person calling is not someone known that you have communicated with before at NSB, please hang up and call the bank directly at 1-888-725-2207
Please do not click on links in texts. NSB will never ask you to provide or confirm personal details or confidential information via text.
If you think you may have clicked on one of these fraudulent texts, don’t panic. Just give us a call at 1-888-725-2207 and speak to a Norway Savings Bank Customer Care Center team member.
Sadly, these fraudulent calls and texts are being received by customers at many banks across Maine and the country. Norway Savings Bank President and CEO Dan Walsh recently appeared on NEWS CENTER Maine (NBC in Portland) to educate the community on the increase of scams in the banking industry and how best to handle the situation if they encounter one. Take a look at the video and story here. 

Thank you for your vigilance in practicing safe banking! 

What Should I Do if Someone at My Business Clicks on a Phishing Email?

Phishing attacks are also more common and sophisticated than ever. Small business owners and leaders are potential targets, with scammers aiming to steal sensitive data, financial information, and even access to your systems. If you've accidentally clicked on a phishing email, it's easy to panic but you don’t need to. The key to minimizing damage is prevention and a fast and effective response. Knowing the signs of fraud and what steps to take if you become a victim can help you regain control and protect your data.

Common Signs of Phishing Emails
Urgent Language: Phrases like "Act now!" or "Your account will be suspended" are designed to spark panic.
Spelling and Grammar Errors: Professional organizations rarely send communications riddled with mistakes.
Unexpected Attachments: Files you weren’t expecting could contain malicious software.
Strange Email Addresses: The sender's address might look close to a real one but includes typos or odd domains. For example, "support@@amaz0n-help.com" instead of support@amazon.com.
Suspicious Links: Hover over links to check the URL. If it doesn’t match the content of the email or leads to an unrelated site, it’s likely a fake.
Immediate Steps After Clicking on a Phishing Email
Assess the Damage: Determine what information, if anything, you shared (e.g., passwords, usernames, financial information). Check for recent changes or odd activity on affected accounts. Let your IT person know what happened, and they can help you with the rest of the steps.
Protect Your Information: Take steps to protect both your devices and your accounts by disconnecting from the internet, changing your passwords, and running a malware scan.
Report the Incident: It’s important to inform anyone who may have been impacted by the attack, including any relevant law enforcement. File a report with the FTC, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), or local law enforcement.
Inform Your Contacts/Customers: Notify contacts or customers not to open suspicious emails they may receive from your account.
Report the Email: Use your email provider’s dedicated reporting tools to flag the email as a phishing attempt.
Monitor Accounts for Fraud: Keep an eye on all your accounts moving forward to look for unauthorized transactions and any suspicious activity like password changes or contact information updates.
In addition, you can help protect your business by implementing robust cybersecurity measures and educating your employees on the risks of phishing. Regular reviews of phishing tactics and the latest cybersecurity news will help keep security front of mind and up to date for your employees, providing a more secure digital workspace for your business.

View Norway Savings Bank’s Free Safe Banking Video Series! 

NSB produced a free video series featuring both our employees and community members to raise awareness about today’s most prevalent financial scams. Protecting your business on multiple fronts is more than proactive, it’s necessary. Learning to guard against fraud starts with protecting your personal accounts, and this series was created to help consumers avoid potential damage to their financial well-being by presenting many of the warning signs they could encounter. The series is comprised of four videos:
Episode #1 “How Scammers Find You”
Scammers have sophisticated ways of convincing you to let your guard down so they can gain access to you or your business. Learn more about how scammers find you and what you can do to prevent their intrusion.
Episode #2 “Identifying Today’s Most Common Scams”
Familiarize yourself with many of the different tricks and schemes that today’s fraudsters use and become better prepared to spot red flags and warning signs.
Episode #3 “Defending Yourself Against Scams” 
Learn about the strategies and tools that can help you defend yourself in the moments you or your business are being targeted by scammers and fraudsters and gain confidence in your ability to detect scams before it’s too late.
Episode #4 “What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed”
Discover what you should do when you discover you or your business has been scammed, how to share your situation with the proper organizations, and the ways in which you can limit financial losses. 
The series is available for viewing at www.norwaysavings.bank/security/#Safe-Banking.

norwaysavings.bank | 1.888.725.2207