When and When Not to Give Out Personal Information
In order to protect your personal information, It is important to know when and when not to provide personal information.
Customer Initiated Activities
When you initiate a call to Commerce Bank, we may ask for your account number or social security number to verify your identity. If you are providing a credit card number, we may ask for your three digit security code located on the back of your credit card. Also, when logging on to Online Banking, you are asked for your user name and password.
Scams
Commerce Bank will not send you an email or call you requesting personal information. You are only asked for personal information when you initiate a call to Commerce Bank. Personal information includes:
- Social security number
- Account number
- Password
- PIN
If you receive an e-mail or telephone call requesting such information, please contact us at 1-800-986-2265 for verification before responding to any such request.
Fourth Quarter 2006
Be aware of increased criminal activity during the holiday season. Below are three current scams. Learn how to protect yourself.
Phishing Attack
There is a new type of Phishing attack which includes sending an e-mail directing individuals to call into the bank’s call center to verify personal security details. The e-mail will contain a telephone number that does not reach the bank, however, this scam call center will be equipped with an automated line that sounds much like the bank. Consumers who made the call were asked to enter their account numbers, social security numbers, and PIN’s.
What To Do
Commerce Bank will not contact you asking for verification of your social security number, account number, password, or PIN. If you receive an e-mail requesting such information, do not call the number they provide. Please contact us at 1-800-986-2265 for verification before responding to any such request. |
Email Requesting Software Installation
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is aware of e-mails appearing to be sent from the FDIC that are asking recipients to install unknown software on personal computers.
Currently, the subject line of the e-mail includes the phrase “Urgent Notification – Security Reminder.” The e-mail is fraudulent and was not sent by the FDIC.
The fraudulent e-mail describes "a small client utility", referred to as "ProBank". Recipients are asked to install the software on home and business computers.
The e-mail claims:
"...this utility only starts whenever an online session is opened with a Financial Institution insured by the FDIC, thus it will never interfere with any programs installed on your computer. Please help us combat fraud by installing, ProBank on any computer that is used to open an Online Banking session."
What To Do
Consumers should NOT access the link or download the executable file provided within the body of the e-mail. Recipients should consider the intent of the software as a malicious attempt to collect personal or confidential information, some of which may be used to gain unauthorized access to on-line banking services or to conduct identity theft. |
Fraudulent Screens and Pop-Ups
Commerce Bank advises customers to be aware of a virus or an attempt to gain account information on secured web sites, including our Online Banking site. This fraudulent act is known as a Trojan Horse program that asks customers to disclose sensitive account information on a pop up screen.
- The screen attempts to obtain information such as account usernames and passwords, PIN numbers, credit card numbers, ATM codes, etc.
- This information could potentially be used to perpetrate identity theft or compromise your existing accounts. Please do not enter any information onto this screen.
What To Do
Other than the normal log on process for Online Banking, we do not ask our customers to enter (or record) sensitive information online for any reason. Our best advice is to never provide account information online and do not share your PIN under any circumstance. |
If you suspect that the security of your account has been compromised due to the possible disclosure of sensitive or confidential information, please contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-986-2265 at your earliest convenience.
|
