North Shore Bank’s CrimeBusters for November 2022 are: Brookfield Square area manager Maria Baumer, Sussex area manager Mark Fairfield, customer assistance rep Kat Grunert, Jackson Park universal banker Stephanie Hernandez, customer care specialist DJ Hostettler, customer assistance rep Charlotte Knight, checking services rep Renee Machado, Brookfield Square teller supervisor Carmen Maurer, Sturgeon Bay East teller supervisor Tara Neuville, Brookfield Capitol personal banker Shannon Quinn, and Green Bay West assistant branch manager Hali Thompson.

Security Saves: This Month’s Highlights
A CUSTOMER CAME INTO THE BRANCH and needed to send a wire. When the banker asked some questions, the customer would not give any details and insisted the wire needed to be sent right away. The banker reviewed the customer’s account history and saw there was a large transfer from her line of credit to her checking. The branch was able to uncover that the customer was a victim of an Amazon email scam. The customer had called the phone number provided in a fraudulent email and given the scammer access to her PC and online banking. The fraudster then made the transfer between the customer’s accounts, but told her they’d credited her too much money — and that if the customer did not wire the money back, the fraudster would lose their job. The scammer also told the customer not to talk to her bank about what had happened and to not provide any details about the wire.

ANOTHER BANKER RECEIVED AN EMAIL from a known business customer asking for a wire to be sent for a closing. The banker noticed in the email chain that the email address for the title company looked different, so she tried to contact the closing agent at the phone number in the email. The phone number went to a suspicious voicemail box that did not belong to that closing agent. The banker called our business customer and alerted him of our concerns. It was discovered that the closing agent’s email had been compromised and that the wire instructions were not for the title company.

Security says: When a customer is sending a wire, whether it’s from a personal or business account, it’s essential that the information be verified over the phone at a known number for the recipient. This is especially important with wires for real estate closings. Email compromises can happen to anyone, so we need to make sure the information provided is correct.

Phishing on the Rise
Over the past few months, we have seen an increase in North Shore Bank customers receiving phishing emails. These emails appear to be from legitimate companies, including businesses our customers may have relationships with, such as Geek Squad, PayPal, and Amazon. The email usually refers to an auto-renewal of a subscription or a recent charge to the customer’s credit or debit card on file. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency by saying that if the charge is in error, the customer needs to call the phone number provided right away. Once the customer calls the number, the fraudster tries to manipulate their way into getting the customer’s personal or account information or even access to their cell phone or computer. No matter what, the end result is usually the same: The scammer convinces the customer to either buy gift cards, send money through a wire, or provide their debit card number.

Here are some links about the methods fraudsters use to get what they want and what to watch out for:

FTC: How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams
WGAL: How to avoid remote access scams
Banks Never Ask That! Learn the red flags of phishing

As always, trust your instincts! If something feels off, contact Security immediately for guidance on how to proceed.

Started by former security officer Peggy Theisen in 2013, the CrimeBuster Awards recognize bank employees who identify security risks and take action to protect North Shore Bank and our customers.