Protect Yourself Against Financial Fraud

By Jeff Roberson, Chief Information Officer

At Rogue, we are your partner in financial well-being and in financial security. Fraud is on the rise nationwide, and we want you to know how to protect yourself.

We do everything we can to protect your information from fraud and are constantly monitoring for potential attacks. To support us in these efforts, the best thing you can do is be a human firewall. In information technology, firewalls are barriers that prevent unauthorized access to important information, keeping the bad stuff out and the good stuff in. Be a human firewall by taking actions that protect your information from unauthorized access.

Change your passwords regularly and use a different one for each of your accounts. Keeping your personal information secure is the foundation of protecting your money and identity from being stolen. Never share your password or personal information. If available, enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA), which adds another layer of security that is very difficult to circumvent. 

Be proactive in identifying suspicious activity. Check your credit at least once a year. You can request a free copy of your credit report at annualcreditreport.com. Doing this won’t lower your credit and can make a big difference in spotting unauthorized actions. Similarly, monitor your accounts for unexpected charges. If you find something you don’t recognize, report it.

Be cautious with online shopping. Only enter your card information on sites you trust and never let a website store your information. Check the URL of the web page for a lock symbol or https:// in the URL. That’s how you know a site is using encryption to protect your information.

Imposter scams (when a fraudster pretends to be a person or organization they’re not) were the most common form of fraud in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission. If you receive a suspicious message–like a text from Rogue asking for your personal information or a phone call demanding a gift card purchase–contact a team member immediately at 800.856.7328. Rogue will never ask for your personal information over text, email, or the phone. 

In any situation, remember to Stop, Breathe and Ask. If you receive a suspicious text, email or phone call, stop before you do anything. Take a deep breath and check in with yourself about what the message is asking you to do. Does it make sense? Fraudsters like to work quickly and get you flustered, so slowing things down will help you identify scams and make smart choices. If something seems off, it probably is.

Even if we as consumers do everything we can to protect our accounts, we can still fall victim to fraud. Recently, there has been an increase in debit card fraud on a national scale. Using a cyber attack called a brute force attack, bad actors use sophisticated computer programs that automatically generate and test thousands–or even millions–of possible credit card numbers until a valid one is found.   

For the latest in fraud prevention, check out our Fraud Blog. Contact us if you’re unsure of a message or request for information. If you’re a victim of fraud, reach out for support. Our team is here for you. Call 800.856.7328, chat with us online or visit your local branch. Talking about financial fraud can be intimidating, so let’s stay vigilant together. Empowering ourselves to identify, avoid and report fraud will help keep our community safe. After all, we’re stronger together.