Fight Social Engineering the Bank OZK Way

June 3, 2021 in Smart Money Habits

BE AWARE NEVER SHARE

It was an unpleasant way to start the day. Melanie received a call from a number that appeared to be Bank OZK.  She knew phone calls, texts, and emails are an easy way for scammers to get information, so she cautiously answered the phone.  The person introduced themselves as “Bank OZK Fraud” and alerted Melanie of a suspicious transaction on her account.  Before providing more details, the caller required Melanie to confirm her identity by providing a confirmation code that would be sent via text.

Melanie hadn’t been asked for personal or financial information, but she knew a confirmation code should never be shared.  She immediately hung up and contacted Bank OZK directly using a trusted method from https://www.ozk.com/contact-us/.  When she contacted Bank OZK directly, they confirmed there were no “suspicious transactions” on her account.

Melanie nearly fell victim to a disturbing fraudulent scam called Social Engineering: a type of manipulation that persuades someone to give up confidential information such as passcodes, passwords, or account numbers.  If Melanie provided the fraudster with this information, they could have used Melanie’s debit card and online banking to make fraudulent charges and transfers.

How do you prevent scams like this?
Know that Bank OZK will never text, email, or call you requesting passwords, PIN numbers, confirmation codes, or account numbers.

Cyber SamBe Aware, Never Share

  • Bank OZK will never contact you and require you to provide any personal or financial information. If you contact Bank OZK, we may require you to confirm personal or financial information that we have on file.
  • Bank OZK will never send you an unexpected email or text containing a link to enter your credentials. You should always directly visit the Bank OZK website to login.
  • Be cautious of an unexpected text, email, or phone call asking for identity confirmation or information even if it looks like it came from Bank OZK. Is the person on the other end who you think it is?
  • If you click a suspicious link or provide personal information and have doubts about its validity, contact a known and trusted Bank OZK employee to verify.

Unfortunately, criminals use many tactics to try to steal your identity and gain access to your finances. In the weeks ahead, we will identify the frauds and scams plaguing our community and provide you with information and actions to protect yourself and your finances.

Stay tuned.