At HomeTown Bank, we care about your financial well-being and want to empower you to recognize and avoid scams that could threaten your finances and personal information. Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but with a bit of knowledge and vigilance, you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Below, we outline some of [...]
Are you one of nearly half U.S. holiday shoppers who started gift-buying before October 31? Let's take the mask off shopping scams for a safer and happier 2024 season. At HomeTown Bank, we know how hard you work for your money. We also know how creative the crooks have become in targeting consumers in person [...]
In today’s digital age, safeguarding your identity is more crucial than ever. Identity theft has become a prevalent issue, with criminals constantly devising new ways to exploit personal information for financial gain. As a community bank committed to the well-being of our customers, we understand the importance of providing you with practical tips to [...]
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is especially important when it comes to online banking, which has become a common part of our daily lives. Even as this banking technology continues to bring us new levels of ease and convenience, there are also [...]
Elder financial abuse robs older Americans of billions of dollars in money, property and other assets every year. As those safeguarding their customers' finances, community bankers are key watchdogs for monitoring and preventing this abuse. As relationship lenders and financial first responders, community banks are in a unique position to help shield our elderly [...]
Each year older customers lose approximately $2.9 billion to fraud, but it is suspected that number is drastically underestimated because only 1 in 44 seniors report financial abuse. HomeTown Bank is joining the national effort to protect seniors from becoming victims of fraud and financial abuse through Safe Banking for Seniors, a new financial [...]
The rise in online interactions and massive amounts of data flowing over the web has led to an uptick in fraudulent activity with 2.2 million reported fraud cases, costing consumers an estimated $3.3 billion in 2020, according to the FTC. Cybercrimes have always been a chief concern for banks, which is why our community [...]
Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. And in this time of expanded use of online and mobile banking, the problem is only growing worse. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission’s report on fraud estimates that American consumers lost a staggering [...]
What is identity theft? Identity theft is the unauthorized use of someone's personal information (e.g. social security number, bank account information, and credit and debit card numbers) usually for the purpose of financial gain. Identity theft is a serious crime that can be costly and also cause serious damage to a person's credit history. How [...]
The holiday season is upon us! Are you financially ready for gift giving and family gatherings? Here are our top three tips and tricks to make financially smart decisions this holiday season. Budget and Set Your Limits Look at your current financial status with the addition of upcoming income and decide on a total amount [...]
