It may be time to “Deck the Halls” but it’s also time to beware of fraudulent deals because Fa La La La La and fraud go hand in hand this season. It may be the most wonderful time of the year as many shop for their loved ones for Christmas. However, every year U.S. citizens are collectively losing billions of dollars through scams and schemes from local criminals to cyber criminals. From online to in-person, consumers must beware of anything that sounds “too good to be true” or “too good of a deal” because it probably is. In fact, it’s probably just another tactic targeted at taking money from unsuspecting consumers and running with it. That’s why People’s National Bank (PNB) recently hosted a Fraud Awareness Seminar for the community and local businesses. Sharon Lewis with the Oklahoma Bankers Association was the key speaker.

“Protect your information like you would protect cash,” Sharon Lewis said. “If you aren’t looking to obtain credit soon, place a credit freeze on your credit report. Check all financial statement regularly and frequently. Properly destroy any paper documents that contain personal information including prescription labels.”

Whether it’s someone going door to door selling magical cleaner, seeking out charitable funds or offering cheap contract work, Lewis advised to be careful of paying for anything upfront or with cash. Even if it’s a friend of a friend, be cautious because they may not be who they say they are or even have the appropriate credentials to fix what is broken.

There are those type of fraud cases and online fraud cases as well where “hackers” pride themselves on breaking into computer systems in order to steal consumers’ information. They can break into accounts, introduce viruses into vulnerable networks, hijack identities and deface websites all at the tap of a keyboard.

So, why is fraud so prevalent and what do these hackers want? They want any data that could be of any value to them. From credentials, financial information, personal details like medical records, corporate espionage or political disruption, they are all motivated by money, power, or ideology and use this personal stolen information to impersonate or extort their victims.

Yes, hackers can absolutely track phones using malicious apps, phishing, or even sophisticated spyware. Then they can access their victims’ location, texts, calls, and even camera, though robust security practices like using VPNs and strong passwords.

This is why everyone must guard their usernames along with passwords for their bank, email, social media, and even their company accounts. Consumers need to safeguard all credit or debit card numbers, bank details and even Social Security numbers. No matter who calls, don’t give out personal identification. Personal banks have that information already, so know that they won’t be calling and asking for all that information.

“When you get hacked, the first critical step is to change passwords immediately, starting with the compromised account and any others with the same password, using a different device if possible,” Lewis said. “Then sign out of all active sessions. Consumers should also enable multifactor authentication (MFA), and notify parties like your bank or personal contacts. Act fast to cut off the hacker’s access and prevent any further damage, and treat all your accounts as potentially compromised. If need be get an IT security consultant to help. There are also several victim resources you can contact.”

Some victim resources include: Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (Consumer Protection Unit) at 405-521-3921 National Center for Victims of Crime at www.victimsofcrime. org AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud. ftc.gov/#/

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov Peoples National Bank CEO Robert Jennings stated that he hopes more consumers are cautious of fraud schemes happening even in McIntosh County because fraud doesn’t just affect the consumer it also affects where they bank and how they do business.

“Fraud schemes are constantly evolving,” Jennings said. “Seminars keep you updated so you can spot warning signs early. Anything we can do to assist our friends and customers to help safeguard their personal and financial information is extremely important. We have to be aware that fraud is out there and we need to protect ourselves and our assets.”

For more information on fraud or how to report it contact Sharon Lewis at 405-424-5252 or sharon@oba.com.