Protect Yourself Online

This article has been updated to reflect cybersecurity best practices as of 10/2021.

We work diligently at INTRUST to help keep your information secure and want to help you avoid falling victim to fraud. Review the information below to understand the tactics used by scammers and how you can take action to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of fraud.

Don't fall for these tricks!

Many reports of financial loss are tied to fraudsters gaining access to personal banking information, and it's not always from malicious software or an obvious fraudulent request for confidential information. Scammers carefully use fear and a false sense of assistance to trick you into placing your personal information right in their hands.

Here are some examples of common scams that may encourage you to share this information:

• Phone scams. Fraudsters use many tactics, but they may call pretending to be from the bank to verify you made recent charges on your account. Your caller ID may even show “INTRUST” and a local phone number because of technology that allows the caller to present fake information about the name of the business and the phone number to trick you into believing the call is legitimate. The charges they are verifying are not real, and this information is intended to incite panic that your account has been compromised. When you state the charges are not valid, the scammer offers to help and asks for your online banking username and password to block the charges or file a claim. DON’T FALL FOR IT! If you provide this information, you are giving the scammer instant access to your accounts, and they can use this to steal your money. INTRUST will never call and ask for your username and password to assist you. If you receive a call requesting this information for any reason, immediately hang up and visit a banking center or call us directly.
• Email scams. Fraudsters often send emails that look like a valid email and can include fraudulent details to trick you, such as the bank’s logo and what appears to be a bank email address. Oftentimes, it’s a request to click a link or enter your online banking username and password to clear up a deposit/billing issue or unlock your account. DON’T FALL FOR IT! Be vigilant of emails in your inbox you weren’t expecting or look suspicious. If you’re unsure about an email, don’t click any of the links or open any of the attachments. These could contain malware that will affect your computer and open it up to fraudsters. If you receive such an email, call us or visit a banking center to verify the validity of the message.
• Text Scams. Spam text messages are typically similar to phone and email scams where the sender is attempting to trick you into providing personal information or clicking links to give them access to your accounts. DON’T FALL FOR IT! Don’t click links within text messages from people you don’t know. If you receive such a text, always call or visit the organization directly to verify the validity of the message before you respond or click.

Never share a password with anyone.

INTRUST will never initiate customer service contact by email, phone or text asking for personal information, such as your account number, Social Security number, access codes or online banking password. You should never provide this information to an unsolicited request, even when the person is claiming to be helping you.

Your password should always be safeguarded. If you have a family member who needs access to online and mobile banking through joint account ownership, please contact us to set up that account holder with their own online account. It’s easy to complete and ensures you are not putting your account at risk by sharing a password.

Follow safe password best practices.

Your password is the key to accessing your accounts online. Here are some guidelines for making sure your password is working for you:

• Use strong, long passwords. Passwords that contain personal information, use common words, or are too short take much less time for fraudsters to hack. Use longer, more complex passwords that don’t include personal information. Long passphrases (such as song lyrics or book titles) with the inclusion of punctuation and capitalization are a good option.
• Don’t reuse passwords. When data breaches occur, and usernames and passwords fall into the hands of hackers, they will attempt to use those credentials on other websites. Use unique passwords for all the websites you visit, especially for online and mobile banking.
• Safely store passwords. With so many passwords to remember, sometimes it’s difficult to keep up. It can be tempting to save them all in a single file on your computer or worse yet, to write them down on a piece of paper left next to your keyboard. If you have too many passwords to remember, try using a password manager. For guidance on selecting and using a password manager, review this guide from the SANS Institute.
• Use two-factor authentication. When available, two-factor authentication adds another layer of security, requiring that you know or have two unique elements. For example, in addition to entering a password, you are required to input a code you receive in an SMS text message at the mobile number on file with your account.

Monitor your accounts.

Even people who follow safe password best practices can still become a victim of fraud. Your next best defense is to consistently monitor your account activity. Sometimes catching fraud early can make a world of difference.

• Use INTRUST Personal Online Banking and Mobile Banking to quickly and easily browse through your activity to make sure there are no transactions you don't recognize.
• Call 24/7 automated phone banking at 800-895-2265 to frequently listen to recent transactions.
• You can also use online banking to set up email or text alerts for certain account activity, such as transactions over a certain dollar value or transactions made out-of-state.

Report fraud attempts.

If you feel that you’ve been a victim of fraud, report it immediately. Your actions can help minimize your risk and potentially help prevent others from falling victim as well.

For more information about how INTRUST keeps your information secure, types of fraud, and best practices for protecting yourself, visit our Security Center. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers a host of resources regarding online security.