Account Access


Your Guide to Avoid E-Mail Fraud

In recent years, the Internet has become an appealing place for criminals to obtain consumers’ personal data (such as passwords or banking information), then use them to gain unauthorized access to financial accounts, for identity theft, or to engage in other illegal acts. We want you to be aware of some of the more prevalent ways criminals are attempting to obtain your information. Below, is important information you need to know in order to protect yourself from becoming a victim of e-mail fraud.

What is a fraudulent e-mail?
E-mail fraud, often referred to as phishing, imposter, or spoofing, involves someone sending you an e-mail request that appears to be from a business with whom you normally deal (such as Cornerstone Community Bank). It's goal? Usually to trick you into providing sensitive personal information that can be used for identity theft.

It's often hard to detect a fraudulent e-mail. That's because the e-mail address of the sender often seems genuine, as do the design and graphics. But there are telltale signs to be aware of. For example, fraudulent e-mails often try to extract personal information from you in one of two ways:

  • By luring you into providing it on the spot (e.g., by replying to the e-mail)
  • By including links to a site that tries to get you to disclose personal data

How can I protect myself?
While Cornerstone Community Bank continues to provide security controls to protect your information, you can help protect yourself and your accounts by following these guidelines:

  • The safest approach is to immediately delete e-mail from unknown sources, before opening the e-mail
  • If you believe someone is trying to commit fraud by pretending to be Cornerstone Community Bank, please contact us immediately at 727-526-5678.
  • Choose passwords that are difficult for others to guess. Use both letters and numbers and a combination of lower case and capital letters.
  • Leave suspicious sites. If you suspect that a website is not what it purports to be, leave the site immediately. Do not follow any of the instructions it presents.
  • Be alert for scam e-mails. These may appear to come from a trusted business or friend, but actually are designed to trick you into downloading a virus or jumping to a fraudulent website and disclosing sensitive information.
  • Don't reply to any e-mail that requests your personal information. Be very suspicious of any e-mail from a business or person that asks for your password, Social Security number, or other highly sensitive information--or one that sends you personal information and asks you to update or confirm it.
  • If you receive an e-mail that warns you, with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your information, do not reply or click on the link in the e-mail. Instead, contact the company cited in the e-mail using a telephone number or Web site address you know to be genuine.
  • Be especially careful about opening an e-mail with an attachment. Even a friend may accidentally send an e-mail with a virus.
  • Avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited e-mail, particularly e-mails that ask (either directly or by pointing to a Web site) for personal, financial, or identity information. Instead, directly type the Web site destination into your browser or use a trusted bookmark to verify the site or to log into your account directly.
  • Do not send sensitive personal or financial information unless it is encrypted on a secure website. Regular e-mails are not encrypted and are more like sending a post card. Look for the padlock symbol on the bottom bar of the browser to ensure that the site is running in secure mode BEFORE you enter sensitive information.
  • Be aware! Phony "look alike" websites are designed to trick consumers and collect their personal information. Make sure that websites on which you transact business post privacy and security statements, and review them carefully.
  • Make sure your home computer has the most current anti-virus software. Anti-virus software needs frequent updates to guard against new viruses. Make sure you download the anti-virus updates as soon as you are notified that a download is available.
  • Install a personal firewall to help prevent unauthorized access to your home computer. This is especially important if you connect to the internet via a cable modem or a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem.
  • Review your bank statements as soon as you receive them to make sure you're being charged only for transactions you made. Immediately report any irregularities in your Cornerstone Community Bank accounts by calling 727-526-5678.

How can I be sure that I'm dealing with Cornerstone Community Bank and not an imposter?
You can tell that you're dealing with Cornerstone Community Bank because:

  • Cornerstone Community Bank will never send you an e-mail asking for your passwords, or other sensitive information.
  • If you're required to enter personal information to perform a transaction, it's always done on a site secured with SSL technology — you can tell because there'll be a padlock icon at the bottom of your screen. Most important, if you click on the padlock, a security certificate will pop up. In it, there's a section that says "Issued to:" If it's really a Cornerstone Community Bank site, then the URL will end in "ebankhost.com" or “ebankhost.net”.