How You Can Protect Yourself

To protect your confidentiality, never share your personal information with another person. Do not provide it to someone directly in an email or on a phone call or tape your Access ID and/or password to your PC, desk or anywhere near your computer.

If you think someone is aware of your password, please go to Online Banking and change it. If you try to login and are unable to do so, please contact First Bank and Trust so we can determine if there is a problem with the system or if something has changed on your account.

Please logout from each Online Banking session on our website. By doing so, this will not allow an unauthorized user to gain access to your financial information.

Protect Yourself Against Phishing

Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) involves the use of seemingly legitimate email messages and Internet websites to deceive an individual into disclosing sensitive information, such as bank account information, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, and personal identification numbers (PINs). These messages may appear to come from legitimate sources. They ask customers to verify personal information or link to counterfeit websites that appear real.

A phishing email may look like this:

Dear Valued Customer,
Due to safety concerns at our Bank, we are updating your information. Please reconfirm your financial information; otherwise we will have to shut down your account. Click here.

Dear Madam,
We have reviewed our files and determined that your maintenance fee for online service is overdue. Click on this link to login. Once you complete the mandatory fields, you are done.

These emails look like they have been done by your bank or a trusted vendor, but they are not. This is the type of trick that a criminal trying to gain unlawful access to your accounts will use. Techniques such as a false “internet” address or the use of seemingly legitimate graphics or logos and false web links may be used to mislead you. They are truly ‘fishing’ for unsuspecting individuals who will give them information to access their accounts. We are warning you about this so you are not their next victim.

Be careful with emails:

If it asks you to act quickly because your account may be suspended or closed and requests personal information to avoid the problem
If it asks for any private data such as account numbers, passwords, Access IDs, or other personal information
If it doesn't address you by your account name or uses a general reference like “Dear valued customer”

First Bank and Trust will NOT ask for personal information, such as account numbers, Social Security or Driver’s License numbers, Access IDs or passwords, via email.

While we may send you information or an update via email, we will never ask you to provide personal or bank data through web links or email. If you receive an email requesting this type of information, do not respond to it.

If you think you may have received a phishing email, or have questions about an email that appears to come from us, please call us at 504-584-5900. We’ll be glad to help you.