Fraud Prevention.
Is that call (or email or text) that you received actually from Bank of the Sierra? How can you be certain?
Links that ask you to enter more information and requests for vital account numbers are signs that the communication you received may be fraudulent. If you are not sure about an email, text, or phone call you received from someone claiming to work for Bank of the Sierra, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-888-454-BANK.
Protect Yourself from Common Social
Engineering Attacks.
Potential red flags to identify a phishing email:
- The sender is not someone you ordinarily communicate with.
- The email is sent from an invalid, incorrectly spelled, or suspicious domain.
- You do not have a business relationship, personal relationship, or any past communications with the sender.
- The email is unexpected or unusual with an embedded hyperlink or attachment from someone you have not communicated with recently.
- The email contains an urgency to complete a task.
- The email is asking for account or personal information.
For more information on avoiding these types of scams, please visit the FDIC website.
- Social Security number
- Account number or debit card number
- Password
- Security questions
- Personal identification number (PIN)
Cybersecurity Checklist.
Keep sensitive information out of criminals’ hands by following these best practices. For more resources, visit the National Cybersecurity Alliance.
- Create strong passwords and update them regularly.
- Establish a unique password for each account.
- Consider using an online password manager to store your passwords.
- Use multifactor authentication (MFA) if possible, especially for accounts with financial information, such as online banking, credit card, and retirement accounts.
- Keep your passwords private. Never share them with anyone else.
- Review all your email accounts and make sure no personally identifiable information is stored in your mailbox.
- Organize the emails you want to keep and delete the ones you no longer need.
- Review and update your contacts. Delete contacts that are no longer necessary or current.
- Review and update email filters to send spam and unwanted e-marketing messages directly to trash or another folder.
- Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) whenever possible.
- Review your social media accounts and associated privacy settings.
- Review any photos or videos and delete those you no longer need or want to make viewable.
- Search yourself online to see what comes up.
- If you stop using a social media app, delete your entire profile.
- Follow these Social Media Cybersecurity Tips.
- Make sure all applications, operating systems, and devices (computers, phones, tablets, smart devices, TVs, etc.) are updated, and are set to update regularly.
- Review your apps and remove those you no longer use.
- Review your backup schedule, location, and media; test your backups to validate they are being successfully completed; and make sure you can restore from a backup.
- Properly dispose of old electronic equipment (laptops, monitors, phones, tablets, smart devices, etc.). Follow these Guidelines for Media Sanitization and take advantage of electronic recycling programs in your area.
- Don’t write down account numbers, passwords, PINs, or security answers on paper and leave them where others can see them.
- Ensure that paper documents containing personally identifiable information, financial information, or other sensitive information is properly stored and locked up.
- Properly shred or destroy all paper documents or files you no longer need.
Cybersecurity Is Key – Avoiding Scams and Scammers.
We want to help you stay safe online. You should know what to look out for, how scammers work, and what to do, so you can protect yourself and your finances.
The FDIC offers tips for avoiding scammers and explains common scams to watch out for.
We want to help you stay safe online. You should know what to look out for, how scammers work, and what to do, so you can protect yourself and your finances.
The FDIC offers tips for avoiding scammers and explains common scams to watch out for.
Protecting Your Small Business.
Small businesses can be especially vulnerable to online threats. These videos explain three security topics that every business owner should know about.
Phishing
Ransomware
Multi-Factor Authentication

Stay Safe Online.
Visit the National Cybersecurity Alliance to learn about a wide range of essential security topics, from avoiding scams to safeguarding your passwords.
Learn MoreProtections for Consumers.
Federal rules provide some protections for consumer accounts that may limit your liability for certain unauthorized electronic transactions.
Contact us immediately if you believe your Bank of the Sierra debit or credit card or personal identification number (PIN) has been lost or stolen or if you believe that an electronic funds transfer has been made without your permission.
For full details about your rights and liabilities as a customer, see our Electronic Fund Transfer Disclosure.
