Security 101

More and more we see, read or hear about individuals being taken advantage of by Internet fraud and Monson Savings Bank realizes the importance of having a well-informed public on this issue. In an attempt to educate our customers' and the general public, Monson Savings Bank is proud to introduce Online Security 101.

Online Security 101 is designed to keep our customers, as well as the general public, informed on the Internet fraud scams that are taking place, and to also help educate people on the importance of online security, as well as what to look out for when releasing personal information over the internet.

Our goal at Monson Savings Bank is to provide a safe, secure and efficient product for our customers, and we find that it is vital for our consumers to be aware of what is out there.

Here is some important literature to help educate you on our Fraud Policy, Identity Theft and Phishing Scams. These brochures require Acrobat to View them. Click here to download acrobat if you do not already have it.

• Consumer Fraud Notice
• Identity Theft
• Phishing

Lesson 1 "Phishing" (additional reading)

"Phishing," (pronounced "fishing") is becoming a more widely used form of online fraud. It involves the use of what seems to be legitimate e-mail messages and Internet Web sites in an attempt to deceive consumers into providing their personal information. The main purpose of the phishing scam is to obtain personal information such as Social Security numbers, Credit or Debit card numbers, Bank Account and Routing numbers, Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) and even the passwords and ids consumers use to log into any account they have online.

Most e-mail phishing schemes are preformed by requesting the recipient of the e-mail to either "update" or "validate" their financial or personal information in order to maintain their accounts; this in turn directs the person to a fraudulent site that will look like a legitimate online business Web site. In order to further deceive the consumer into believing the e-mail was from a legitimate business the recipient has a relationship with, the perpetrator will use what might appear to be valid bank logos, Web links and various graphics. Once at the "fake" Web site, you will be prompted to enter your personal information into required fields. Any information disclosed on these sites will grant the perpetrator access to whatever information you may have. Whether it is bank accounts or credit card numbers, the perpetrator will have found out your user id, password, account number, credit or debit card number and even your social security number.

Please be assured however, under NO circumstances will Monson Savings Bank ask you to verify your information online. We know who you are. If you have any concerns about an e-mail that you think came from Monson Savings Bank, please call us to verify it.

Click on the link to view an example of a legitimate web site:

Click on the link to view an example of a schemers web site:

If you have additional security questions or need to contact us about stolen information or fraudulent activity, please call 413-267-1204.