We have become aware of a potential fraud that is using First Farmers Bank and Trust’s name in a PHISHING scam in an attempt to gain access to customer accounts. Here is the basic framework of the scam:
- The potential target of the scam receives a text that claims to be from First Farmers. This text asks about a supposed bill pay transaction, including amount and payee, and that the target respond with Yes or No.
- Upon replying NO, another text message is received stating that a representative will be calling shortly.
- The scammer then calls pretending to be a bank employee. The scammer states that they will be sending a temporary Username and Password for the customer’s Digital Banking account and to reply with the old credentials so they can be deactivated.
- Upon sending the old credentials, the scammer then tells the customer that they will be sending them a one-time code for confirmation of deactivation. This code is really a Secure Access Code that allows the scammer to register the computer they are using as a trusted device and then they complete Peer to Peer transactions using the credentials that the customer sent.
Thank you for choosing First Farmers Bank & Trust as your financial partner. We will continue to monitor this situation and keep our customers up-to-date on any further developments.
If you believe you may have interacted with and given access to a possible fraudster, please contact us right away at 1-800-371-3316.
Thank you again for your business.
Imposter Scams
Scammers will try to convince you to provide verification codes to them so that they can access your account. Stay informed and stay vigilant to keep your accounts secure.
