Fraud Information

Compromised, Lost or Stolen Cards Wire Fraud Mortgage Fraud Recent Alerts Property Filing Alerts Suspected Fraud Prevention Resources Business Fraud Report Activity

Compromised, Lost or Stolen Cards

To report a compromised, lost or stolen card during normal business hours:

Please call the bank at 1-877-921-7700

To report a compromised, lost or stolen card after normal business hours:

CheckCards, Health Savings Account Debit Cards or ATM Cards: 1-800-236-2442
Credit Cards: 1-800-221-5920

Replace Your Card at an Instant Issue Location

Some National Exchange Bank & Trust locations are able to replace your CheckCard in the office with our Instant Issue card printers. To find a location near you, just look for the Instant Issue icon in our list of locations.

Locations

Wire and large cash transaction fraud

Due to the proliferation of scams perpetrated through unknowing bank customers, National Exchange Bank & Trust takes great care in trying to identify potential scams. This means we may ask additional questions when you want to do a large cash transaction or wire transfer that is not common for you. Transactions that are frequently used to commit fraud receive even greater scrutiny to protect you.

The customer is responsible for the funds deposited prior to any withdrawal transaction. This is true even if the item is returned as a counterfeit item, for fraud of any kind, or for any reason. These types of items can be returned even after the funds are available based on the bank’s Funds Availability Schedule. The bank cannot place stop payments on monetary instruments.

Transact only with people you have personally met and trust.

Remember, ultimately, the customer depositing an item is responsible for the “goodness” of the item, and once a wire is sent, it is often not retrievable.

Mortgage Wire Transfer Fraud

Mortgage wire transfer fraud can occur during the closing process when a fraudster poses as a party in the process, such as your real estate agent, and has you change where you send your closing costs so that the money goes to the scammer.

Fraudsters are sitting on email servers, watching traffic and patiently waiting for the right opportunity to intercept and redirect wire information from and to unsuspecting home buyers and title companies wiring money as it relates to home purchases. All wire destination information received via email should be verbally confirmed with a known number to an individual home sellers and buyers have personally met.

During the closing process, you can protect yourself from scams by recording names and numbers of two trusted individuals who can securely confirm payment instructions. Always beware of last-minute changes to your payment instructions.

Recent Fraud Alerts

Tax Fraud Mailing for Unclaimed Refunds

The IRS is warning tax payers of a scam mailing that states they have unclaimed "property" and need to provide contact and banking information via email or phone call. The letter contains a number of warning signs that it is illegitimate such as asking recipients to email sensitive information with a filing agent for "Your Unclaimed Property Claim." The IRS does not deal in unclaimed property, but in refunds and payments. Learn more about this and other tax related scams by visiting the IRS website.

Ongoing Scams

Home Warranty and other Loan Related Mailings

Please reach out to your trusted lender if you receive any mailing with the bank name on it that creates urgency about your home insurance, home warranty or other home-related concern. Many questionable companies are buying public information and sending mailings intending to confuse consumers and trick them into sending money or entering into contracts.

Required legal filings in regards to mortgage documentation aligns consumers with their lender in public records. Please always use phone numbers published in directories, on our website or on your official, original loan documentation or bills to contact us regarding your account and to verify any mailing you receive with your name on it.

Fannie Mae Impersonations

Fannie Mae has learned of a consumer fraud scam involving a person who claims to be a Fannie Mae employee contacting people offering to modify their mortgage and requesting money or gift cards. Fannie Mae does not contact individual borrowers. Please only work with National Exchange Bank & Trust employees. Feel free to contact Fannie Mae’s Consumer Resource Center at 1-800-2FANNIE (1-800-232-6643), option 4 or obtain more information on their consumer alert web page.

Tech Support Scams - Do Not Give Access to Your Computer Based on a Phone Call

Individuals continue to lose thousands of dollars to pop-ups on personal computers and phone calls informing computer owners that they need to protect their computers or that the caller needs access to credit their account.

Should you be told you have a refund coming and the caller needs access to your PC, receive a solicitation for computer protection, or answer a call that that claims your computer is infected, do not respond. Reach out to local service providers for your computer repair or protection needs. Valid businesses do NOT need access to your computer to issue a refund.

Should someone threaten you or claim they have control of your bank account, please get in touch with your bank and local police.

FTC Article Regarding Tech-Support Traps

Loan Debt Relief Scams

Phone calls, texts and emails from the government are highly unlikely, so be alert and be aware of these red flags. Tiffany Schultz, the regional director of the Better Business Bureau serving Wisconsin, recommends using ed.gov and studentaid.gov for information on the debt relief program.

Channel 3000 Article - BBB Warns of Scammers Preying on Borrowers Anxious for Biden's Student Loan Debt Relief

Caller ID Spoofing

Don't trust the Caller ID! Scammers are frequently spoofing the names of Financial Institutions in an attempt to extract account information from the victim. Both the name of the caller and the number are being "faked" to appear to be a trusted financial institution calling. In addition, if the caller is asking you for account information, personal information (including payments you make or deposits you receive), insurance information or any information related to your account transactions, please request the caller's name, ask to return the call and call back at a trusted number.

Check Washing Continues to be a Challenge to Businesses

Area businesses continue to be challenged by a form of check fraud called Check Washing. Checks are stolen from mailboxes, and criminals change the payee and often dollar amount. They then hire "mules" with picture IDs to try and cash the check at the business's financial institution. National Exchange Bank & Trust business customers are encouraged to pro-actively set up Positive Pay and use High Security Pens as tools in preventing this type of fraud.

Elder and Adult-at Risk Abuse

Abuse can be in the form of financial, emotional, physical or even sexual abuse. People looking for additional financial support are urged to make the right decision about who they make a joint account holder.

Suspected elder abuse can be reported to the AG’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-448-3780, Wisconsin Department of Justice Elder Abuse Unit.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has an entire section related to Adult Protective Services which is a great resource, including a section on Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation: What to Look For.
Financial exploitation and fraud come at a huge cost to victims – not only financially. These scourges also have negative social, emotional and health impacts. If you suspect something, do something. For guidance, call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 or visit the Fraud Watch Network.

Property Filing Alerts

Property Filing fraud occurs when documents are filed to the Register of Deeds Office by an unauthorized person and without the real property owner's knowledge. Fraudsters will often sell the property after it has been illegally transferred into the unauthorized person's name without the true property owner's knowledge.

Due to this fraud, many of the Register of Deeds offices in the counties we serve have a Property Filing Alert tool. This tool will alert consumers and businesses alike if a filing has occurred for the monitored name allowing the true property owner to take action on the fraudulent filing sooner.

Please use the links in the Counties with Alerts section for more information on those counties that offer alerts.

Counties with Alerts

Calumet County
Columbia County
Dodge County
Fond du Lac County
Green Lake County
Sheboygan County
Washington County
Waushara County
Winnebago County

Suspected fraud or identify theft on your accounts

Notify the Bank Immediately

Contact National Exchange Bank & Trust Customer Service immediately at your local office or at 920-921-7700 if you suspect identity theft or fraud involving any of your National Exchange Bank & Trust accounts, including if you believe you may have given out any confidential information.

For existing active fraud cases, please call toll free 855-829-6770.

Report Scams to the FTC

ReportFraud.ftc.gov allows consumers to receive advice based on the type of fraud reported in addition to reporting scams to the FTC in order to help protect our communities.

Prevention Tools

While National Exchange Bank & Trust uses a variety of software and industry-related tools to combat fraud, the most important prevention tool is customer vigilance. Please consider the following suggestions for online safety and being diligent in identifying Spam and Phishing.

Do Not Disclose Your Personal Information

National Exchange Bank & Trust staff members will not ask you for your account number, online banking User ID, password, PIN or text code received for authentication.
If someone is asking you for this information, it should be red flag that you most likely are talking to a fraudster.

Use National Exchange Bank & Trust services that provide timely transactional information

Card Controls - turn your card on and off, or control by location, transaction type, merchant type and transaction type all in the mobile app.
SecurLOCK Equip - card controls for consumer debit cards and credit cards with real-time activity notifications.
Exchange OnLine - digital banking including text and email alerts that alert you as potentially unauthorized transactions occur.
eZCard - robust credit card website
eStatements - electronic statements eliminate the opportunity for statements to be stolen out of your mail box

Practice Digital Safety

Do not follow unsolicited web links in email.
Use caution when opening email attachments.
Follow safe practices when using your electronic devices and browsing the web. See Good Security Habits and Safeguarding Your Data from US-CERT for additional details.
Keep your operating system, software and apps up-to-date with the latest patches.
Current anti-virus software with the most updated definitions and frequent system scans is required.
Updated anti-spyware is necessary.
Strong passwords, that are not shared, are a vital component to protecting your information.
Report phishing by sending an email to phishing-report@us-cert.gov.

External Resources

Banks Never Ask That - Test Your Scammer Knowledge
CFPB Mortgage Checklist
AARP Fraud Watch Network
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Your national resource for identity theft; Fraud Line: 877-IDTHEFT (877-438-4338)
- Pass it On — Most likely someone you know has been scammed
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Common Fraud Schemes
- Scam Safety Site
- Internet Crime Complaint Center — IC3
FDIC Identity Theft and Fraud
Protect Your Pocketbook — Tips to avoid financial exploitation.
Stay Safe Online — Resources from the National Cyber Security Alliance.
Credit Education and Identity Theft — TransUnion

Defining Phishing

Identity thieves like to go “phishing” — pronounced “fishing” — on the Internet for consumers’ personal financial information using fake emails and websites to trick people into providing Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and other valuable details.

Defining Smishing

Smishing is like phishing, but criminals attempt to garner information via text messages on mobile phones. National Exchange Bank & Trust does not initiate information gathering via text messages.

Business Fraud Mitigation and Resources

Security Check: Business electronic Banking best practices.
Scams and Your Small Business: Federal Trade Commission resources for protecting your business
Email Security Red Flags: Watch for these seven red flags

ALERTS!

Do not change ACH information for payees based on an email request! ALWAYS call a number you have used previously to connect with a company and validate any changes to payment information. Fraudsters are impersonating business emails and requesting payment changes!

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued an alert for fraudulent attempts to capture information in relation to requirements in reporting Beneficial Ownership; read more about fraud surrounding Beneficial Ownership below and follow the link to the FinCEN website to learn more.

Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI):

Businesses that are subject to reporting beneficial ownership information, be on high alert! Fraudulent attempts are being made to solicit information by exploiting the beneficial ownership requirements.

Beware of requests:

for payment - there is no fee to file BOI directly with FinCEN.
to click a link or scan a QR code - be suspicious of e-mail or letter correspondence.
for "Form 4022," or "Compliance Information" - FinCEN does not have a "Form 4022."
from "US Business Regulations Dept." - the U.S. government does not have a department by this name.

Visit FinCEN for more information and to prepare and file a report.

NACHA

Business Email Compromise (BEC) information:

Corporate Account Takeover

Corporate Account Takeover Overview: the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) advisory related to Corporate Account Takeover.
Warning Signs of Corporate Account Takeover: a summary document with information provided PAR (Payment Advisory Resource).

Cybersecurity

CyberSecure My Business™: National Cyber Security Alliance’s (NCSA’s) CyberSecure My Business™ is a national program helping small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) learn to be safer and more secure online.
Cybersecurity for Small Business: Federal Trade Commission resource
Cybersecurity Resources: presented by the Better Business Bureau

Please visit our Fraud Mitigation page for more information on tools for businesses.

Report employee suspicious activity

The successful business operation and reputation of National Exchange Bank & Trust is built upon the principles of fair dealing and ethical conduct of our employees. Our reputation for integrity and trust requires careful observation of the spirit and letter of all applicable laws and regulations as well as scrupulous regard for the highest standards of conduct and personal integrity.

If you have concerns about potential misconduct by an employee, you may confidentially report it by calling (920) 906-6944.

Examples include: giving or receiving of bribes or unlawful gifts, theft or misuse of funds, confidentiality breaches, conflicts of interest or discrimination. Calls to this number go directly to a voicemail. If the caller desires, anonymity will be maintained to the extent possible. In the event of an anonymous complaint, a certain level of specificity will be required to enable an investigation. Providing your name may significantly improve the identification and investigation.