People and businesses conduct online business and transactions every day. As your local banking partner, Riverland Bank makes the safety and security of our customer accounts a top priority. Below, we share tips for protecting yourself against bank-related fraud.

1. Contact Your Bank Before Traveling

If you’re traveling out of the state or country, it’s best to notify your bank so they can set up a travel alert for your debit card. As a safeguard, Riverland places a block on most countries and some states where fraudulent activity is common. Giving your bank a heads up will prevent you from encountering issues using your card during your travels.

2. Use a Credit Card

Using your credit card may be preferable in places that carry a higher risk of fraud. Many credit cards also offer zero fraud liability. By using your credit card, funds will not be withdrawn from your bank account directly.

3. Leverage the Benefits of Positive Pay

Check fraud continues to be a widespread issue, often targeting business accounts. At Riverland, we offer Positive Pay for our business clients, an automated fraud-catching service that focuses on stopping potential check fraud. This allows business customers to quickly identify unauthorized and counterfeit checks before itʼs too late.

4. Be Email and App Aware

There are numerous scams presented daily to consumers, so you must always exercise caution when it comes to your personal and financial information. Be aware of email or text messages that ask you to click on a link, and be suspicious of email or phone requests to update or verify your personal information. Confirm a message is legitimate by contacting the sender. (It is best to look up the sender’s contact information yourself instead of using contact information in the message.) Be on guard against fraudulent checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or electronic fund transfers sent to you with requests for you to wire back money. Research all apps before downloading. Don’t assume an app is legitimate because it resembles the name of your bank or another company you are familiar with.

5. Get Proactive with Protection

Proactivity is key when it comes to protecting your ATM, credit, and debit accounts. Don’t disclose your account number over the phone unless you initiate the call, and guard your account information by committing your PIN to memory – don’t write it down or carry it with you. Make it a habit to check your ATM and debit card transactions and your account activity, especially if you bank online. This includes reconciling your monthly statements promptly and comparing the transactions to your receipts. When it comes to the cards themselves, carry only the ones you need and cut up old ones before you throw them away. Finally, keep a record of your account numbers, expiration dates, and the telephone numbers of each card issuer so you can report a loss quickly.

Looking for additional protection tips? Check out Riverland’s security resources to find out how to avoid identity theft, protect your computer, and more.

Bank on Us

Helping you stay protected is just one benefit of knowing your banker, and Riverland is always here to find unique solutions. If you have questions about the tips above or want to know more about how we offer first choice banking on a first name basis, call 952-492-2750 or visit riverland.bank/contact to get in touch with a banker.