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Security Alerts

Online Banking Security Information

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) recently issued new supervisory guidance designed to help make online transactions more secure. The new guidance responds to an ever more dangerous online threat environment. Scams and hacking techniques are becoming more sophisticated, and new threats are continually being developed. Organizational crime groups in the United States and internationally have become a significant force in expanding online fraud and theft.

Bank of Vernon and your Login Credentials

We will never call, e-mail, or contact you to request your access ID, password, or other login credentials for our online services. If you receive such a request, do not provide any information.
While online banking is safe, you should always be careful about sharing your personal financial information over the Internet. Review the following tips to protect your personal information while using the Internet.

  • Regularly log into your online accounts to verify that your bank, credit, and debit card statements and transactions are legitimate.

  • Be suspicious of any e-mail with urgent requests for personal financial information.

  • If you receive an unsolicited e-mail from any source asking you to click on a link to visit a site and input personal data, be very wary.

  • Be cautious about opening attachments or downloading files from e-mails, regardless of who sent them.

  • Instead of clicking on links in e-mails, type in the URL you're familiar with, such as www.bankofvernon.bank, or select the Web address saved in your browser's "Favorites."

  • If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is and should be avoided.
    If you have any doubts about the validity of an e-mail, contact the sender using a telephone number you know to be genuine.

  • Before initiating an online transaction, ensure your personal information is protected by looking for indicators that the site is secure. URLs for secure sites typically begin with "https" instead of "http" and display a lock in the lower right corner of your browser.

  • Use anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date.

  • Make sure you have applied the latest security patches for your computer. Most software providers, like Microsoft, offer free security patches.

  • If you have broadband Internet access, such as a cable modem or DSL, make sure that you have a firewall.
We take numerous steps to keep your account information secure. However, it would be best if you also took precautions.

Choose a good passcode
Your online passcode, along with your access ID, authenticates your identity when accessing online accounts. It is crucial to select a passcode that is difficult to guess and does not use personal information or a word you can find in the dictionary. Failure to do so could lead to unauthorized access to your account.

Keep your passcode safe
Even the best passcode is worthless if written on a note attached to your computer or checkbook. Memorize your passcode and never tell anyone about it.

Change your passcode regularly
It's essential to change your passcode regularly. Whenever you choose a new passcode, our online banking system runs a quick program to test its safety. If we can guess it, we will immediately ask you to choose another.

Remember to log off properly
You may not always be at your computer when banking online. Therefore, it is important to use the 'log off' link at the top of each Internet banking page. This ensures that no one can access your account if you step away from your computer. If you forget to do so, the system automatically signs you off after 10 minutes of inactivity.
Regulation E provides rules for error resolution and unauthorized transactions for electronic fund transfers, including most online transactions. In addition, it establishes limits to your financial liability for unauthorized electronic fund transfers. These limits, however, are directly related to the timeliness of your detection and reporting of issues to Bank of Vernon. For this reason, we encourage you to immediately review periodic account statements and to regularly monitor your account activity online.

The "Electronic Fund Transfers" disclosure provided to you at the time of account opening provides detailed information. We will provide you with a free printed copy upon request.
The new FFIEC Guidance takes note that business transactions, because of their frequency and dollar value, are inherently more risky than consumer transactions. The guidance notes the steep rise of online account takeovers and unauthorized online fund transfers related to business accounts in the last five years.

Recently, small—to medium-sized businesses have been primary targets as cyber criminals have recognized that their security controls are not as robust as those of larger businesses. Analysis indicates enhanced controls over administrative access and functions related to business accounts and layered security using multiple and independent controls would help to reduce these types of crime.

The FFIEC Guidance suggests enhanced controls for businesses:

  • Business customers should be encouraged to perform a periodic risk assessment and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the controls they have in place to minimize the risks of online transaction processing.

  • Protect yourself by controlling online risks. The tips above provide a starting point for this process, and the web resource links provide additional detailed information.

  • Business Center has a great deal of information for businesses at https://business.ftc.gov/privacy-and-security/data-security

  • Business customers should understand the security features of the software and websites they utilize and take advantage of these features.

  • Segregation of duties, the process of separating duties so no one person can perform all steps of a transaction, is an example of a very important security feature. This means that different people should be responsible for initiating a transaction, approving it, and executing it, reducing the risk of fraud or error.

  • Layered security options for business customers doing online transactions include transaction thresholds (setting a limit on the amount that can be transferred in a single transaction), out-of-band verification (such as telephone or e-mail verifications), fraud detection and monitoring systems, and IP reputation-based services. The guidance encourages establishing these layered security processes to provide multiple levels of protection.

Bank of Vernon customers should be aware of the continuing threat of multiple e-mail-based scams known as "phishing." These e-mail-based scams attempt to collect private account information from customers through deceptive and misleading methods. For example, these phishing e-mails fraudulently request personal information, including user IDs, passwords, Social Security numbers, and credit or ATM card numbers. Data collection often happens through the unsuspecting customer's link in their e-mail that directs the recipient to non-Bank of Vernon websites that look very much like legitimate sites.

Please note that Bank of Vernon does not solicit sensitive, private customer information through unsecured e-mail. Customers who receive these e-mails should not follow any of the instructions in the e-mail and should not click on the links contained in the e-mail. If customers follow these steps, their accounts are not in jeopardy of being compromised.

If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of an e-mail message that appears to be from Bank of Vernon, please forward it immediately to info@bankofvernon.bank. As stated above, do not respond to the e-mail message or click any of the links contained in the e-mail. Please do not remove the original subject line or change the e-mail in any way when you forward it to us. At Bank of Vernon, protecting your privacy and information security is very important to us.

Detection, Prevention, Protection

Every time you use your Bank of Vernon Debit Mastercard, our Fraud Center analysts evaluate your transaction to ensure it is within your usual use pattern. If a transaction seems unusual, the Fraud Center analyst may block your card as they try to contact you by phone.

If a transaction or set of transactions is suspected of fraud, your Fraud Center analyst will text the phone number on file. Please reply to this text message as quickly as possible to confirm whether the transaction is fraudulent or legitimate.

If you do not reply to the text message, our fraud center analyst will attempt to call you. The analyst will identify themselves as calling on behalf of Bank of Vernon. You will be asked to confirm whether the suspicious transaction(s) were authorized. If you confirm the transaction(s) as authorized, the fraud analyst will immediately unblock your card.

Text Message Window: 7 AM - 10 PM
Text messages are complementary to end users
Phone Call Window: 8 AM - 9 PM
E-mail: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

We will NEVER ask you to give the following information:
  • Account number
  • Debit Card PIN
If you are uncomfortable providing information to the Risk Management fraud analysts, contact our Bookkeeping Department at 205-695-7141 to unblock your card.






Bank of Vernon is a full-service Community Development Financial Institution with locations in Mississippi and Alabama.

Financial Freedom Comes from Financial Literacy