As technology continues to evolve in today’s fast-paced digital world, so do financial scams. Impersonations have taken on new guises with deepfakes (realistic images, audio, or video) and AI-written phishing emails.
At United Community, we have been providing trusted, personalized banking for 75 years, and we want to ensure your business is equipped with fraud prevention practices to safeguard your financial future.
Prepare Your Team
Employees should be urged to exercise caution whenever they are contacted through technology to transfer money, share important information, or click on any attachments/links.
Employees may receive texts, emails, and even voice or video calls from someone posing as an executive, vendor, or employee requesting an urgent wire transfer, sensitive employee data (like W-2 forms), or other confidential information.
Whatever the situation may be, employees should be encouraged to take their time and reach outto IT to investigate anything suspicious.
DID YOU KNOW?
Banks will never ask for sensitive information like PINs, passwords, or Social Security numbers. Knowing this can help you and your team spot scams and stay protected!
Keep Accounts Under (Digital) Lock and Key
Establishing company security policies ensures that all company accounts are guarded with protective measures against cyber-attacks. Consider the following measures:
- Require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for log ins
- Install a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for remote employees
- Talk with your IT provider or department about firewalls and Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) to detect and protect your business from unauthorized access to company information
Know What Your Bank Will Never Ask For
Calls or emails from scammers posing as your bank are a common scam. Understanding the key information that a bank will never ask for will help you and your team discern when to not respond.
Banks will never ask for important information like PINs, passwords, or social security numbers. They also will never send links or attachments that you were not expecting. Like all phishing scams, a clear giveaway is if they use urgent or fear-inducing language. If you or a staff member are unsure about a call or email, contact your bank directly to verify the situation.
Partner with a Bank that Provides Fraud Protection Services
Because your bank has direct access to your accounts and transaction history, they have the opportunity to serve as an integral partner for your business’ security. Make sure your bank has fraud prevention tools that detect account discrepancies and send alerts about any suspicious activity. They should have systems like Positive Pay (Check & ACH Fraud Protection) in place to verify payment details against pre-approved transactions, as well as reliable customer service to assist you.
At United Community, we’re here to be your trusted banking partner, offering proactive protection services to the businesses in our communities. We will work closely with your business and keep a careful eye on your accounts, so you can focus more on everything else.
Discover the difference at ucbi.com/business today.
