Avoid Scams & Keep Personal Information Safe

    Phone calls have been made this month to many local residents from a company claiming to be MidSouth Bank.  The calls state that a hold has been put on your credit or debit card.  If you receive a phone call asking for your bank account or credit/debit card information, no matter what the reason given, do not give your personal information over the phone.  If you receive a voicemail of this nature, do not return the call, as the number connects to an automated service asking for credit or debit card information.  These calls have been reported from many non-customers of MidSouth Bank, and the real MidSouth Bank website advises that they will never call to ask for card information over the phone.  Anyone doing this is part of a scam.  Similar phone scams have happened recently from numbers claiming to be associated with several different banks.  If you want to check to make sure there is not an actual issue with your account or card, hang up and call your bank’s customer service line directly.
    MidSouth Bank has these suggestions to help keep your information safe and avoid scams:
Phone Scams (vishing) – NEVER provide personal information unless you initiated the call or it is from a trusted source. Do not press options or give out account numbers or debit card numbers to anyone you do not know or did not call. If you have inadvertently provided account information to a caller, contact the bank immediately.
Email Scams (phishing) – NEVER click on links provided in an unfamiliar email or enter account information into an unfamiliar site. Delete unidentified emails from your computer immediately, unless you know the sender. If there is a question on the authenticity of the email, call the sender to verify it. If you have inadvertently provided account information, contact the bank immediately.
Monitor accounts online regularly to confirm all charges and transactions are correct.
Report any suspicious incidents, calls or transactions to the bank.
Educate family and friends.