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How You Can Protect Yourself

⚠️ Fraudsters Are Targeting Mailed Checks - Here’s How to Protect Yourself

The FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service are warning that check fraud is rising, with criminals actively targeting mailed checks to steal funds and sensitive financial information. Take these proactive steps to protect yourself:

  • Secure Your Mail: Pick up mail promptly, use USPS Hold Mail™ when traveling, and sign up for Informed Delivery®.
  • Protect Your Checks: Use black indelible ink, avoid blank spaces, and opt for checks with security features like watermarks or microprinting.
  • Monitor Your Accounts: Regularly check your online and mobile banking statements for unauthorized transactions.
  • Use Secure Payment Methods: Opt for e-checks, ACH payments, Kearny Bank's Bill Pay, and other digital options.
  • Report Fraud Immediately: If you suspect fraud, contact Kearny Bank at 800-273-3406, file a report with the FBI's IC3, and notify the US Postal Inspection Service.

🔎 Learn more: Get additional check fraud prevention tips here.

Kearny Bank is committed to ensuring the safety and security of our client's personal information. Rest assured Kearny Bank will not contact you asking for personal information by telephone, email, or online banking. We would never contact you and ask for sensitive personal data such as your account number, credit or debit card information, social security number, date of birth, or password.

If you do receive a call or email that appears to be from Kearny Bank asking you to provide personal information, disregard the request. Criminals can spoof any phone number, so if you receive a suspicious call, hang up and contact us immediately at 800-273-3406. Only in instances where you have initiated contact with Kearny Bank and verified you are speaking with an authorized Bank employee, should you provide sensitive personal data.

Make sure your phone number, email, and mailing address are current with your financial institutions. Keeping these details updated helps ensure you receive important alerts and account updates.

Cyber threats are not typically discussed until a friend or family member is impacted.  

Consider discussing cyber threats and fraud with friends and family members. This is one of the most cost effective methods to reduce your cyber risk and prevent fraud. There are also a number of events discussing cybersecurity; contact your Banker, Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Leader.  

You wouldn’t share your toothbrush; avoid sharing user accounts and passwords.

Consider creating unique user accounts for each employee. In addition, remember not to assign more access to business applications than needed.

Consider migrating from passwords to passphrases—longer sayings that use several words with spaces and special characters. In addition, apply multi-factor authentication to your email accounts, social media, business applications and network devices (e.g., firewalls).

Do you know and trust the person you're sending money to?

Payments can't be canceled if the other person is already enrolled with Zelle®.

Does anything seem suspicious about the payment you're making?

Is the recipient expressing extreme urgency or claiming to be from your bank? Are you paying in advance for event tickets or a puppy you found online? In any of these scenarios, it's best to choose a different payment option.

Are you treating Zelle® like cash?

Money moves fast with Zelle®. Make sure you enter your recipient's U.S. mobile number or email address correctly.

Companies often forget to install or renew their anti-malware service. This is discovered once computers are infected with malware, information is stolen or both.  

Consider installing anti-malware on your computers and phones. This protects your employees from compromised websites as well as malicious email attachments and weblinks. If possible, purchase software developed by U.S. based companies (e.g., Sophos and Malwarebytes). The software chosen should also automatically apply updates to your computers’ operating systems to fix vulnerabilities.  

Ransomware attacks are increasing and everyone is potentially a target. Given the significance, the U.S. Government launched a new website to help defend against ransomware. StopRansomware.gov is a central location for ransomware resources and alerts. We suggest visiting this website to understand the threat of ransomware, how to mitigate risk, and in the event of an attack, know what steps to take next. Refer to StopRansomware.gov for additional information.

We often forget how valuable their information is until it’s lost. Once lost, panic and sadness quickly follows.  

Consider backing up your information to 3 different sources. For example, saving data to the cloud, an external hard drive well as another location (e.g., safe deposit box, safe or vault). Also, don’t forget to test if you can restore your backups! 

Did someone reset my password? Why is my account locked? Who made that transfer? 

Staying alert to critical events allows business owners to detect suspicious activity. Consider applying security alerts to your online and mobile banking accounts.  

Log on to  Online Banking or our Mobile Banking app to set up your free real-time SecureAlerts.

Do you know how many Apps are on your devices? When was the last time you checked the App permissions? Do those Apps really need to read text messages? 

Consider downloading mobile apps from only authorized play stores. Before downloading Apps check the permissions and reviews. Also, if you don’t need the Apps consider deleting them. 

I didn’t purchase a new car. When did I take out a loan? When did I apply for those credit cards? 

A credit freeze suspends anyone from accessing your credit report, which means neither you nor identity thieves can open new lines or credit or loans in your name. Request Experian, Transunion and Equifax freeze your credit.  

Click here to learn more.

Set it and forget it? 

The importance of your wireless router is often overlooked. This device is the central hub connecting your wireless devices to the internet. Consider, at minimum, all using the strongest encryption available, changing the router’s default administrator password, disabling remote management, and creating guest networks for visitors and employees.  

Click here for more information.