Fraud is a serious concern all year long, especially during the holidays. As we approach the holiday season, Ridgewood Savings Bank wants consumers to know how to spot a scam. It’s published a series of videos on its website (https://www.ridgewoodbank.com/home/contact-us/security).
‘Hello? Can You Please Verify Your Bank Account Number?’
STOP! IT’S A SCAM; YOUR BANK WILL NEVER ASK THAT!
Want to Know How to Spot a Scam?
Ridgewood Savings Bank’s New Videos Will Show You How!
RIDGEWOOD, N.Y. (November 5, 2020) – “Hello? Could you please verify your bank account number?” The ploy is familiar: you receive a phone call from your “bank” and the caller ID displays the bank’s name. So, you may not suspect anything is wrong when the caller asks you to verify your bank account number.
But you should always be suspicious any time your “bank” calls you out of the blue and asks for your account number. “While we may call to verify certain account activity, we will never ask you for personal information, either on the phone, or in an email or text,” warns Leonard Stekol, Chairman, President, and CEO of Ridgewood Savings Bank (“Ridgewood”). “We advise anyone who receives a suspicious phone call, email, or text to contact the bank directly.”
Fraud is on the rise, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which received 3.2 million reports of fraud in 2019, up from 3.1 million in 2018. Phone calls accounted for the lion’s share—74%—of reported frauds. More and more people seem to be getting “spoof” calls that display phony caller IDs.
Now, has posted a new series of short, informative videos to teach consumers how to spot possible fraudulent schemes. Viewers will learn about the techniques used by scammers to siphon money out of checking accounts and steal Social Security numbers. The videos also show consumers how to identify an IRS or Medicare hoax.
Protecting Customers from Debit Card Fraud
Ridgewood’s fraud protection services extend well beyond instructional videos. The bank offers several tools and services to protect customers from fraud when using the Ridgewood Debit MasterCard®, including:
— Real time fraud alerts of unusual debit-card transactions or charges;
— Real time alerts when a debit card is used, approved, or declined; and
— Card controls to turn off your card if it is lost or stolen, or manage how and where the card is used by setting limits based on location, merchant category, transaction type, and dollar amoun
Identity Restoration
Ridgewood also helps to protect customers from identity theft. If you suspect your identify may have been compromised or stolen, you can take advantage of Ridgewood’s Identity Theft Resolution Services through the Bank’s partnership with EZShield®, a proven specialist in ID Theft prevention and protection services. Certified resolution specialists based in the U.S. are available to speak to you 24/7. These services are available to at no charge to all Ridgewood Checking Customers.
Ridgewood Premier Checking customers also receive free access to EZShield ID Protection Plus, with additional benefits such as daily credit monitoring and identity theft insurance, among other features. Other checking customers can purchase EZShield ID Protection Plus services at a beneficial rate negotiated between Ridgewood and EZShield.
“As a community bank, our job is to help hardworking people save for the future and achieve financial security,” Stekol explains. “We are happy to offer an array of fraud-protection services and education to help them keep their money safe from thieves. Through a business partnership with EZShield, a proven specialist in ID Theft prevention and protection services, we are able to meaningfully leverage these services to our customers.”
About Ridgewood Savings Bank
Founded in 1921, Ridgewood Savings Bank continues to serve the community as a strong and stable mutual savings bank with over $6 billion in assets and 35 branches located throughout the New York metropolitan area. It ranks #2 on the prestigious Forbes Best-in-State Banks 2020 list in New York State and is among the top 5 banks to receive Banking Choice Awards for New York City and Long Island. Since inception, Ridgewood Savings Bank has remained true to its community bank roots and mission to provide its customers the best possible service and banking experience. As it continues to refine and enhance its services and delivery channels, Ridgewood Savings Bank will continuously strive to be the bank that offers “Traditional Values with Modern Solutions.”
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