Security

Learn how to help keep your personal and business information safe, both online and off.

Security Tips Security Resources
 

Security

Learn how to help keep your personal and business information safe, both online and off.

Security Tips Security Resources

Protect Yourself from Common Social
Engineering Attacks.

Phishing is one of the most popular social engineering attack types. It is an attempt by cybercriminals to trick someone into sharing sensitive personal information. The emails are often very convincing and trick you into visiting a malicious website, downloading a file, or providing your password or other sensitive information.

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.
If you see an email from a sender claiming to be from ‘Bank of the Sierra’ with any of the above red flags or if you are unsure about the legitimacy of a Bank of the Sierra communication, please do not respond. Call our Customer Service Center at 1-888-454-2265 immediately.

For more information on avoiding these types of scams, please visit the FDIC website.

Vishing involves someone calling you and pretending to be someone they are not (e.g., a Bank of the Sierra employee). The imposter will try to build credibility and a good rapport with you before asking for sensitive information such as a password, Social Security number, or bank information.

Smishing is a form of phishing and involves someone sending you an SMS message pretending to be someone they are not. In the message, the attacker may try and trick the targeted recipient into revealing personal sensitive information such as credit number and passwords or asking them to click on a link. Bank of the Sierra will NEVER ask for the following personal or account information via email, unsolicited phone calls, or text messages:
  • Social Security number
  • Account number or debit card number
  • Password
  • Security questions
  • Personal identification number (PIN)
If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a Bank of the Sierra communication, or if you believe your account has been compromised or you are a victim of fraud, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-888-454-2265 immediately.

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.

Learn More

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.

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 More

Protections 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.

Protections for Consumers.

Recovering from Identity Theft.

If you believe you’ve been a victim of identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission offers resources to help you report identity theft and create a personal recovery plan. Select your language to learn more.

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