Notice of Changes in Temporary FDIC Insurance Coverage for Transaction Accounts

All funds in a “noninterest-bearing transaction account” are insured in full by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from December 31, 2010, through December 31, 2012. This temporary unlimited coverage is in addition to, and separate from, the coverage of at least $250,000 available to depositors under the FDIC’s general deposit insurance rules.

The term “non-interest-bearing transaction account” includes a traditional checking account or demand deposit account on which the insured depository institution pays no interest. It also includes Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (“IOLTAs”). It does not include other accounts, such as traditional checking or demand deposit accounts that may earn interest, NOW accounts, and money market deposit accounts.

For more information about temporary FDIC insurance coverage of transaction accounts, visit www.fdic.gov.

You can now make deposits at even MORE ATMs around the country!

You’ve given us your feedback. We’ve listened.

We’ve made making a deposit into your account easier than ever before! We’re excited to announce that 1st Security Bank customers can now make deposits at even MORE ATMs around the country. In addition to the Mastercard Global and Accel/Exchange networks, we’ve now added the MoneyPass network to the list! To find ATMs around you, simply visit our ATM Locator page, choose one of the three deposit-accepting ATM networks, and you’ll be on your way!

MoneyPass Mobile App Now Available for the iPhone and Android!

At 1st Security Bank, we want to make your banking easier. Our partnership with the MoneyPass network is all about convenience and it just got a little more convenient. 1st Security debit and ATM card holders can now find surcharge-free ATMs while they’re out and about. The new MoneyPass ATM Locator app for the iPhone and Android phones can be used anywhere to find the nearest MoneyPass ATM!

To get the app for your phone, simply visit the MoneyPass Mobile App site.

Taking a trip outside of the USA?

We’re serious about doing all we can to protect you from debit card fraud.

To further protect you from debit card theft, the following change is effective August 15, 2009:
All debit card transactions performed outside of the U.S. and Canada will be blocked unless you have notified us in advance of your travel plans.

Before you travel outside of the U.S or Canada, please call your branch of account to let us know your travel plans (such as the countries you’ll be visiting and the dates of your visit). When you do this, we’ll then be able to make sure you’re able to continue to use your card without any problems.

It’s just one of the ways we’re working to help ensure your safety.

Would you fall for this?

Financial scams are nothing new, although their proliferation has been made exponentially easier with email. As a financial institution, we’re very concerned about the number of scam letters and emails out there today. Although not our job, we’ve managed to help a number of people avoid being bilked out of thousands of dollars because they intended to participate in the offers. Let’s take a few minutes to share the basics of how most prevalent scams work so you can avoid becoming their next victim.

1. 1. Lottery scam letters. You receive a letter saying you’ve won some large amount of money. This supposed lottery organization (often in Canada) encloses a large check, and instructs you to call to get the verification code. The catch is that before you can cash the check, you must first wire a large sum of money (some percentage of the lottery “prize”) to them to “cover the taxes”. What’s going on? The checks look like legitimate business checks but the drawer name bears no relationship to a lottery organization. These are stolen or counterfeit checks bearing name and account number of a legitimate company, but the checks have been fraudulently produced by criminals. The check is not worth the paper it’s printed on so you’ll get nothing out of it. But, if you comply with their instructions, you will have wired them a large sum of your hard-earned money, only to never see your cash again.
2. 2. Money order/cashier’s check scam. With this scam you actually receive money orders or cashier’s checks in the mail with a letter from a company (often a foreign company) asking you for your assistance. They claim they don’t have a bank account and need your help by cashing either the money orders or cashiers check. They ask you to cash the items and wire them 90% of the money back, keeping 10% for your fee. Anyone who falls for this will find that the money orders or cashier’s checks are fraudulent so, if cashed, they would be charged back against your bank account, and meanwhile you would have wired them a large sum of YOUR money.
3. 3. “Nigerian” scam. You receive a letter or email politely soliciting your help. They request your help in moving large sums of money out of their country. They promise you, for example, a 10% fee for your assistance, but they also request that you send your bank account number and some money to cover the transaction and transfer costs and attorney’s fees. Again, if you send them money you’ll be the big loser as you’ll never hear from them again. Nigerian scams are some of the biggest money scams in the last 10 years. The scam artists send out over 10,000 emails a day and feel good with a 1% response. These are complicated, layered organizations that move on quickly so according to law enforcement, they’re impossible to track down.
4. 4. Jury duty scam. This time you receive a telephone call from someone identifying himself as with the court system. They indicate that you’ve been chosen for jury duty, and they just need to confirm your name, social security number, date of birth and credit card number. If you refuse, they threaten you with fines. Obviously, no one from the judicial system would a) call you by phone to inform you of jury duty, and b) need your credit card information. It’s a hoax. Hang up!
5. 5. “Phishing” scams. Phishing is an Internet scam in the form of an email or pop-up box. The emails and pop-ups link to sites that look like businesses and ask you to provide or confirm personal, financial, or password information. Beware of these lures to get you to reply:
   • Threatening to close your account unless you provide personal information immediately.
   • Claiming to need updated personal information on your account. 1st Security Bank and other legitimate companies will NOT ask for this information via email.
   • Offering a service that can only be provided with your personal information.
6. Additional points to keep in mind:
   • Be wary of clicking on links in email messages.
   • Always type addresses directly into your browser or use personal bookmarks.
   • Don’t email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information.
   • Report suspicious activity to the FTC. If you get spam “phishing” for information, forward it to spam@uce.gov.
   • Always ensure you are using a secure Web site when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your Web browser. To make sure you’re on a secure Web server, check the beginning of the Web address in your browser’s address bar — it should be “https://” (notice the “s”) rather than just “http://”

In conclusion, you’ve worked hard to earn what you have. Don’t believe offers such as these “effortless income” scams. The thought of easy money might be appealing, but success generally requires hard work. When you receive a solicitation such as this, don’t give it an ounce of thought. And please, NEVER give your bank account number, debit card number or credit card number to someone who calls you. Again, just hang up. You’ll be glad you saved yourself the pain and heartache of losing thousands of dollars to a crook.