With the increased spending and gift-giving that the holiday season brings, it’s also a prime time for scams and fraud. Read our tips to help protect your personal and business accounts.
1) If you’re gifting checks, write with a gel ink pen.
Did you know the right pen can prevent check fraud? Ink from a standard ballpoint pen can be washed off paper checks very easily. Fraudsters then write in a new signature, payee and dollar amount to steal your money. If you must write a check, be sure to use a gel pen because the ink is hard to remove.
2) If you get a call or text from Byline, don’t share any personal information.
In account takeover scams, fraudsters make it appear your bank is contacting you by spoofing the name that shows up on your caller ID or in your inbox. Byline Bank will never call, text or email to ask for your account number, online banking credentials or any other personal details. If you get a suspicious request, call us directly at (773) 244-7000 before providing any account details over the phone.
3) Don’t let checks or account statements linger in your mailbox.
If you’re traveling for the holidays, make arrangements so mail won’t be sitting in your mailbox overnight. For added security, go paperless and enroll in electronic statement delivery for your bank accounts.
4) If you have business accounts, enroll in Positive Pay.
Checks are often unavoidable for businesses, but our fraud protection services can help mitigate risks. When your business enrolls in Positive Pay, you’re able to approve or decline checks before they clear your account.
For more tips to stay safe this season and year-round, visit our Fraud Prevention page.
