Have you been scammed?
If you believe you’re being scammed, there’s a decent chance you are. If any of the following statements apply to your situation, you could be the victim of a scam.
You have been instructed to keep the transaction a “secret” or the deposit is from an unknown source or is unexpected.
You have been instructed to purchase gift cards.
You have been instructed to mail cash.
You are depositing funds for payment or commission of employment from a “work at home” position, “secret or mystery shopper” position, or newspaper ad where you were hired online or over the telephone.
You are depositing funds to pay taxes and/or fees to receive other funds, such as an inheritance or lottery winnings.
You’re depositing funds from someone you met online or someone you have been communicating with through email, text or phone and have never met in person.
You’re depositing funds from proceeds for an item you sold on the Internet, such as a car, boat, jewelry, etc.
The amount of your deposit is more than the selling price of the item sold.
You’re depositing funds from a business or individual different from the person buying your item or product.
You have been instructed to return funds through a wire transfer, Walmart, Western Union or Money Gram as soon as possible.
You have been asked to assist in the distribution of money from or to another country.
How to report fraud
Fraud happens – and there’s absolutely no reason to be embarrassed about it. Here’s what to do after being scammed.
Immediately contact the Central Bank Financial Intelligence & Security Unit.
Contact the local law enforcement agency in your town. If you are not sure how, we will assist you.
File a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Protecting You and Earning Your Trust – Every Day.
Central Bank’s Financial Intelligence & Security Unit (FISU) has 10 expert staff members with more than 100 years of combined banking experience and over 50 years of prior law enforcement experience, all with a shared goal of prioritizing the privacy and security of our customers. They continually work to protect your information and help ensure your accounts are secure largely through real-time fraud monitoring. Using this monitoring, The FISU may contact you via phone or two-way text alert if a debit card transaction is out of character for your normal spending habits.
Of course, in addition to offering you our fraud protection services, Central Bank wants every customer to know how they can protect themselves and detect unusual activity on their own. So, we’ve included some important tools on recognizing types of scams, avoiding those scams and reporting any scam attempts.
Fraud Detection SpecialistsWhen and how to take action
Whether you’ve simply been contacted by a scammer or believe you’re already a victim, it’s a stressful situation. At Central Bank, we’re always here to help – with fraud solution resources to address scam attempts including how to report fraud, what to do after being scammed and more.
Additional Fraud Solution Resources
There are many types of scams and frauds. But they’re all designed to take your money.
From phishing to employment scams to IRS/Warrant scams and more, financial frauds are ever-evolving and deceptively clever in the attempt to unlawfully take your money and compromise your banking accounts.
In addition to the scams themselves, it's also important to note scammers conduct scams using various platforms. Use of digital payments is on the rise, and as a result, many scammers request money via digital payment. Be sure you only use platforms like Zelle® to send money to those you know and trust - treat it just as you would cash.
Fraudsters also use varying forms of communication to carry out fraud, including text messages, phone calls, emails and social media messages. Be skeptical of any request for funds and also be sure to reach out to your financial institution using a verified phone number when you are suspicious of any communication you receive.
Below, we’ve included some very helpful and important information on how to identify the most prevalent types of scams.