F&M Bank Security Center

Lost or Stolen Card/Card Number

After Business Hours:
Visa Fraud Prevention Center
1-800-554-8969
Notify us the next business day.

During Business Hours:
1-800-645-4199 (Toll Free)
1-931-645-2400

24/7 Fraudulent

Transaction Hotline
If you do not have a case number, press "0".

1-800-262-2024 (Inside US)
1-973-682-2652 (Outside US)

Debit Card Activation Center

24-7 Card Activation Assistance PIN Setup / Change Number
1-800-567-3451

The Heinous Crime That Can Be Committed With Just a Phone

The National Council on Aging reports that elder financial abuse can be more devastating than a violent crime. What can you do to prevent your parents from being the next victims? Here are just a few things:

• Make sure that they keep an eye on bank statements as they come in, and never give their personal information over the phone to anyone who initiates contact with them.
• If they’re making a payment by mail on a credit card, they should not let that information sit in a mailbox long enough for someone to steal it; if possible, they should mail it from a post office.
• Make sure that they take advantage of credit reporting services that can help them keep an eye on credit card accounts and loans.
• Lastly, they should use direct deposit for any payments they receive on a regular basis, such as Social Security.

Holidays are supposed to be a joyous time – but scammers can replace the joy of the season with the hassles of fraud!

Below are a few reminders that can help safeguard your personal information during the holidays.

• Phishing emails – Phishing, or emails with fake links designed to obtain personal information often ramp up during holidays and year end activities. Popular ones include the personalized letter from Santa to your child, solicitations from unknown third parties that offer gift cards and/or discounts in exchange for taking a survey, fake delivery confirmations from FedEx or Amazon, and fake renewal requests for things like insurance coverage. If you receive an email asking you to ‘update’, validate’ or ‘confirm’ your account, verify the request is legitimate before you respond. You can stay current on scams by visiting the FTC’s scam site: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/
• Phone Scams – Phone scammers also step up their efforts accordingly. Fake calls may use telephone numbers that are close to your number, or worse yet, they may falsify the caller id display to disguise their identity. Never provide personal information over the phone in any call that you did not initiate. More information about Caller ID is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers
• Fake Websites – Online-shopping bargains may look ‘too good to be true’ for a reason. Scammers create slick websites offering merchandise at cut-rate prices without any intention of delivering – or worse, as a front to steal and misuse your account information. Before you click a website link, verify the company is legitimate and confirm the link is not directing you to a spoof or fake copy of the company’s website. Best practice is to not use external links; enter the company’s correct URL in your browser. Look for "https" in the header – the "s" reflects a secure web page.
• Mobile Use – Ordering on your phone may be easy….but if you are using a public, unsecured wireless connection, you are increasing the risk that your personal information may be intercepted and stolen. When using a smartphone, it is more difficult to verify that you are connecting to a company’s legitimate website; and also more tempting to use convenient links that could be directing you to spoof or fake websites. Per the above suggestions, type the companies legitimate URL in your browser. If you are connecting through retailer apps, verify that the app is valid. Watch out for those fake texts we all seem to get, too!

Best Practices – Online and PC Security Tips

• We recommend that you implement the following Online and PC Security Tips to help prevent some of the common fraudulent activities and scams that occur on the Internet that can lead to identity theft and financial loss.
• Install and/or update antivirus software and anti-spyware software.
• Update your antivirus signatures daily and anti-spyware signatures weekly.
• Keep your operating system and browser up to date.
• If you are on a site that asks for personal information: Type the address page you are browsing rather than following a link. Links can be spoofed to look valid but may take you to another site without your knowledge.
  • Make sure the web address starts with https://
  • Look for a closed lock in the address bar of your browser.
  • Is the address bar green? Green means secure for some browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.
• Keep written usernames and passwords in a locked drawer or away from the area here you keep your PC and/or electronic device.
• Never send personal or sensitive information in an email.
• Never click links or open attachments in suspicious emails.

Alerts

No critical alerts at this time, however, for customers we recommend the following best practices:

• We encourage you to use online banking and mobile banking options for your everyday banking needs. Our customer service staff is able to help you activate (or help you use) your online and mobile banking services, by calling: 1-800-645-4199.
• Please make sure your mobile phone number and email are up-to-date for all of your accounts. This will also help if we have to contact you quickly about your account. Call 1-800-645-4199 for assistance updating this information. Note: Additional security questions will be asked to make changes.
• Make the most of digital (online and mobile) banking services
  • Check account balances 24/7
  • Access monthly statements
  • Pay bills electronically
  • Deposit checks through the mobile app by simply taking a photo with a smartphone
  • Transfer funds
• Enroll in direct deposit. If you receive a paper check from your employer, inquire about direct deposit. If you receive a paper check for Federal benefits, visit Go Direct.
• Beware of scams and criminals using fear/intimidation or trickery, to attempt to steal your sensitive, personal or account information. Watch out for strange calls, emails, texts or websites that look like they are coming from legitimate businesses or government agencies asking for information like SSN, usernames/passwords (login info), account numbers, credit or debit card numbers, PINs, etc.
• Build an emergency fund. An emergency fund will help to cover unexpected expenses. Even reserving a small amount can make a big difference and it’s never too late to get started.
• Have some cash on hand. It’s always a good idea to keep some cash handy in a safe, secure place.

F&M Bank will never contact you and request your financial and/or security information, such as your online banking password, mobile banking PIN or account number. NEVER give your security credentials or financial information to someone contacting you by phone, email, text or mail. When setting up direct deposit, only provide your account number and our bank’s routing number; NEVER provide your online or mobile banking security credentials. If you are concerned the request is legitimate, BEFORE providing such information, contact us to confirm it is needed and/or the issue you were contacted about is legitimate. You can contact us at 931-645-2400 or 800-645-4199 (toll free) during regular business hours. Our Contact Us page enables you to send us a secure email message. Click here for 24/7 customer service contact numbers for our credit and debit card services and F&M Bank Telephone Banking.

Please call 1-800-645-4199 with any banking questions or if you need assistance with specific banking activities.