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Attention: Beware of text and email scams impersonating Fidelity Bank & Trust. We never request sensitive information through links in text or email. Please stay vigilant and report any suspicious messages to us immediately. Your security is our priority.
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Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Fidelity Bank & Trust offers the following recommendations to keep you and your finances safe and secure.

Publish Date December 1, 2020

 

Dawn AndersonWith the holiday season among us and during a global pandemic, many shoppers are turning to online shopping to meet their gift-giving needs this year.  Although this may be a safer option for our health, it can also make you significantly more susceptible to identity theft and other unfortunate cyber-crimes.

At Fidelity Bank & Trust, we know shoppers have a lot on their minds in an unprecedented year.  This can allow scammers to gain access to valuable personal information through phishing.  Dawn Anderson, e-Banking Officer at Fidelity Bank & Trust in New Hampton explains, “Phishing is just like it sounds – people ‘fishing’ for information, usually by sending an email or an online ad to attract shoppers to click on a link that leads them to a fraudulent site asking for personal information.”

Protecting yourself from these types of attacks is possible by remaining diligent and following these Holiday Shopping Safety Tips recommended by Anderson:

  1. Shop from a secure computer with a secure connection.  Be sure your operating system, browsers, and antivirus/anti-malware suite are up to date.  When accessing a store’s website, be sure to check it is HTTPS so that your transactions are encrypted.  If you’re using a mobile device, be sure you’re using a secure Wi-Fi connection.
  2. Use trusted vendors and their apps, rather than a link.  Always shop with trusted vendors and type in the web address whenever possible instead of following a link.  Take the time to check the email address of senders – scammers often add/delete a letter or display info backward so it looks similar to the merchant.  Hover over links in an email to see where you are being redirected to be sure it is a legitimate website, and don’t fall for ‘too good to be true’ deals.
  3. Review your credit card and bank statements regularly.  Utilizing online and mobile banking to see activity is an easy way to make sure purchases are correct and you don’t have to wait until the end of the month to view your statement.  On the FBT Mobile App, you can also set alert preferences by balance or transaction and choose to be notified by email, text, or in-app.  These are great options to keep your account in check during the holiday shopping season and beyond!
  4. Report fraudulent activity immediately.  If you notice suspicious activity, report it IMMEDIATELY to avoid further fraud.  During business hours, contact your local branch or our toll-free number, 800.403.8333.  After business hours, call the number on the back of your card.

Anderson reminds shoppers, “By taking proper precautions, you can have peace of mind while shopping this holiday season.”  To further protect yourself against identity fraud, learn more about ID Shield from Fidelity Bank & Trust or view additional tips for keeping you and your finances safe online. 

Click here for additional government websites and resources to protect yourself online.