Free to customers, Bank of Pontiac utilizes a 24/7 fraud and monitoring service that detects suspicious transactions on your ATM and Debit cards. In the event that fraud is suspected on your card(s), we will attempt to contact you between the hours of 8am and 9pm CST to verify if you meant to perform these transactions. Because your security is very important to us, there are a few things you can do to help us let you know if there fraud occurring on your ATM and/or Debit card(s).
We use the most efficient automated calling program to contact customers regarding their bank cards. If fraud is suspected on your card, you will receive either an email, text, or automated call asking you to respond and provide a piece of information that only you should have the answer to.
We understand that fraudsters often can call customers imitating banks. If you receive a call you are unsure of, hang up or delete the text, but make sure you call us toll free at (855) 844-6151 in the event that the call was legitimate. If there is fraud occurring on your card, our staff can intervene and block the fraudulent activity.
It is important that we are able to email, text, and\or call you if fraud is suspected on your bank card. This can be done by keeping your contact records current with us. Because we respect your privacy, your information will be kept confidential, except for what is needed by the bank to service your accounts. Only give this information to staff at one of our branches. Do not share this information over the phone or via text as the criminals are out there too, waiting to get this information.
Our Fraud Center may think there is fraud occurring on your bank card if transactions begin occurring out of state when you are actually traveling. If you are leaving home or going on vacation, and want to avoid your bank card being declined because of suspected fraud, please call our Main Bank at (855) 844-6151. We can place a note in your account to let the Fraud Center know to allow out of state transactions for a specified period of time.
You may also report the card lost or stolen which will also deactivate the card and stop further activity from occurring.
To report your debit card lost or stolen during regular business hours, please call: Main Bank (815) 844-6155 or Toll FREE (855) 844-6151.
After hours, on the weekends, or on holidays, please call: (888) 297-3416.
To report your ATM card lost or stolen, please call: Main Bank (815) 844-6155 or Toll FREE (855) 844-6151.
After hours, on the weekends, or on holidays, please call (888) 297-3416.
If you have Telebank24 access, call Toll FREE (855) 844-6152, then choose Option 6. Then, choosing Option 1 will help you deactivate your card. This will render the card unusable and require that you come in to the bank at your earliest convenience to have a new card set up for you.
If you have a log in for Online Banking, you can deactivate your card in "Options", then the ATM/Debit Card submenu. Checking the Lost/Stolen box and pressing submit will deactivate the card permanently. After doing so, you will need to come in to the bank at your earliest convenience to have a new card set up for you.
Identity Theft is a serious threat against consumers. At Bank of Pontiac, we continuously monitor our security procedures to protect you and your accounts. Total security is only possible with your help. Here are steps you can take now to prevent identity theft and protect your finances.
There is a new scam occurring on the internet involving fraudulent web pages and email messages. Phishing is a term coined by Internet hackers who use email lures to 'fish' passwords and financial data from the sea of Internet users. Email messages designed to look like they came from a merchant or financial institution are mailed to Internet users. The emails direct the recipient to update or provide information back to the company's web site by instructing the user to click on a URL embedded within the email. The embedded URL links the user to a counterfeit web site designed to look like the company's legitimate web site. Passwords and other personal information are then solicited and collected by the web site and used by the scammer to defraud the user.
Please be advised that Bank of Pontiac will not send email communications to you soliciting sensitive information (passwords, user id's, and account numbers, etc.). If you should ever receive an email message requesting personal information and indicating the message originated from Bank of Pontiac, please do not respond to the email. Instead, please contact the bank immediately and alert us of the suspicious email communication.
Text Messaging scams consist of fraudulent text messages sent to a block of cellular phone customers requesting account information. The text often consists of a message informing the customer that their Debit card account has been disabled and provides a phone number for the person to either call or text personal account information to or to open a link. DO NOT provide any information to these numbers or click on any links as they are fraudulent. If you should receive any communications of this sort contact the bank immediately at (815) 844-6155 so that we may report the scammer's information to the appropriate authorities.
Malware creators are now crafting emails claiming to be from banks that ask you to open attachments to perform some sort of service for you. These attachments are viruses or trojans designed to infect your computer and steal your passwords. Never open unsolicited emails claiming to be from financial organizations that ask you to open an attachment or click on a link. On rare occasions we may send you an email letting you know you have locked yourself out of online banking but we will never send you email with attachments to open. The only link you may have have to click on is to reset yourself after you have already initiated it from within online banking.
