Security

Your security is very important to us. We will never ask you for personal information over the phone unless you initiated the phone call. We will never ask you for personal information in an email. If you receive an email that appears to be from Heritage Nova Bank asking you for confidential information do not reply to the message and immediately contact customer service during business hours at (800) 639-8381.

Fraud Center

Our Fraud Center will try several ways to contact you including emailing, calling and texting to alert you of any suspicious behavior or fraudulent charges. This service is a quick and convenient way to stop fraudsters from taking advantage of you.

FDIC Safety Tips 

Here are some basic precautions to consider especially when engaging in financial transactions with strangers:

• Do not cash or deposit any checks including cashier’s checks or money orders from strangers who ask you to wire any amount of money back to them. If the check or money order proves to be a fake, the money you wired out of your account will be difficult to recover.

• Be wary of unsolicited offers guaranteeing to rescue your home from foreclosure. These calls are fake; it is a way for fraudsters to collect your personal information. If you need assistance, contact the company that collects the monthly payment for your mortgage to find out if you qualify for programs that will prevent foreclosure. Often your mortgage company will work with you.  

• Monitor your credit card bills and bank statements for unauthorized purchases, withdrawals, or anything else suspicious and report them to your branch right away. With online banking and mobile apps, you can now monitor your bank transactions daily.

For more info visit:  FDIC Consumer News.

Phishing

What is phishing?

Phishing is a type of fraud that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security Number, passwords, and other sensitive information.

How can a phisher get my information?

According to the Federal Trade Commission, phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with regularly. The message will say that you need to update your account information and may direct you to a website that looks like a legitimate organization's site but it will be fake. The message might even threaten consequences if you do not respond; this is fraud.

Tips to avoid phishing scams:

• If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. Legitimate companies never ask for this information via email. Never cut and paste the link in the message.

• Do not email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization's website look for indicators that the site is secure; such as a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL for a website that begins with "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Being aware of these tactics is the first step to not being a victim of phishing.

• If your credit card or bank statement is late by more than a couple of days call your credit card company or branch to confirm your billing address and account balances. Secure online banking and mobile banking apps are useful tools that will allow you to review your statements without fear of your mail being stolen.

• Use updated antivirus software. Many phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge. Antivirus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Staying one step ahead of the phishers is the best way to beat them.

• Report suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission. If you get spam that is phishing for information forward it to https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov

• If you have been scammed file your complaint at www.ftc.gov. Visit the FTC's website at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft to learn more on how to minimize your risk of identity theft. 

Here are some helpful hints on how to protect yourself:

• Never divulge your social security number, credit card number, account passwords and other personal information unless you initiate contact with a person or company you know and trust.

• Do not carry around more checks, credit cards and other bank items than you really need. Never write your Social Security Number on your checks.

• Use a paper shredder to discard all personally identifying information useful to an identity thief. Keep extra checks, credit cards and documents that list your Social Security Number in a private location. Contact your branch immediately if you lose your checkbook or debit card.

Steps for victims of identity theft:

• Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus and request that no new credit be granted without your approval.

• Close any accounts that you did not open.

• File a local police report and give copies of the report to your branch, credit card company or other businesses that may need proof of the crime.

Free Credit Report

If you become a victim of identity theft, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Committee by calling toll-free (877) 438-4338.