SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS: Open until 2 pm on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. Closed all day on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, and Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

Financial security has become a growing area of concern for many consumers in recent years.

It’s important to know how to identify security concerns, and what to do if you believe your information may have been compromised. BankGloucester provides a host of tools & resources to monitor your account activity, lock your cards, and more.

To learn more about scams, and how to protect yourself from fraud, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov).

If you believe that you may have been a victim of identity theft, visit IdentityTheft.gov to report your concerns and develop a recovery plan.

managing-finances

Check out latest security & scam articles below:

  • Holiday Scam Awareness
    The holidays are indeed a prime time for fraudsters, and BankGloucester is dedicated to keeping you informed and providing you with the resources and tools you need to protect yourself.
  • Safety & Security: Protecting Yourself from Check Washing Scams
    Check washing involves altering a check to change the payee’s name and often the amount, allowing fraudsters to cash it for themselves. This can lead to significant financial loss and stress. To prevent becoming a victim, it’s crucial to…
  • Safety & Security: Identifying Scams
    When it comes to scams, the best offense is a good defense. Staying informed about the latest scams and being able to identify them will help keep you, and your accounts safe. BankGloucester will never ask you to provide account information, pin numbers, or passwords over phone or email.

START HERE

Security FAQ

What should I do if I notice suspicious charges on my account?
If you have any concerns about the security of your account, you can contact us directly at (978) 283-8200 or stop by a branch to discuss your concerns with a bank representative.

What should I do if I receieve a call/text/email from BankGloucester asking me to verify my personal or account information?
BankGloucester will NEVER request this information over call, text or email. If you have concerns regarding the legitimacy of a bank communication, call us directly at (978) 283-8200.

What should I do if I recieve a call/text/email from BankGloucester asking me to call back or click on a link?
Review the contact information or link provided in the communication as well as it’s origin. We will never ask you to call us at a number other than our main line, or navigate to a website outside of BankGloucester.com. If you have concerns regarding the legitimacy of a bank communication, call us directly at (978) 283-8200.

AARP BankSafe

AARP’s BankSafe has protected almost $300 million from being stolen due to financial exploitation. BankGloucester is proud to be a part of this effort, and we are excited to share that we have earned the AARP BankSafe Trained Seal.

For more information, visit: aarp.org/banksafe

Card Valet & Money Management

Our Card Valet & Money Management tools are available free to all BankGloucester accountholders.

Card Valet is your all-in-one control center for your BankGloucester debit card(s). Monitor activity, set spend limits, lock your card, and create alerts for various activity parameters. To get started, download the Card Valet App from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, and register your card.

Accessible through the online banking dashboard or our mobile app, Money Management allows users to link all of their accounts at BankGloucester & other financial institutions and view them in one place. The platform makes it easy to identify & research suspicious transactions across your financial network. In addition to the security benefits, Money Management also provides personalized spending reports, customizable budget planning, and more.

Scam Awareness

Learn how to identify fraudulent activity, and how to avoid being the victim of scams with tips from the American Bankers Association.

Fake Check Scams

Source: ABA Foundation

Online Dating Scam

“While online dating can open doors to loving, happy relationships, we are receiving more and more reports of criminals using these platforms to take advantage of unsuspecting users,” said Patty Natti, Vice President and IT officer at BankGloucester. “Approach these relationships with caution so you don’t end up with a broken heart and an empty wallet.” 

Social media networks and dating websites have become increasingly popular tools for meeting and communicating. Unfortunately, fraudsters have capitalized on this trend and often create fake profiles to lure in victims, establish romantic relationships and eventually, extort money.

According to the FBI, over $220 million was lost in 2016 to online romance scam artists. Older Americans in particular have been targeted by this type of scam. 

If you’re concerned that you or a loved one are being scammed, BankGloucester recommends taking the following precautions:

Click here for more information about Online Dating Scams

Heartbleed Bug Scam

You have probably heard about it on the news…The Heartbleed Bug is the latest internet threat that may expose users passwords and credit card information.

Your Information IS Safe on our website

Rest assured, we have heard about it too and we want you to know – transactions on BankGloucesters website are secure and protected from this threat. We take your security VERY SERIOUSLY, that is why when news of the Heartbleed bug was reported some time ago, we immediately took steps to ensure our website is safe for users. We are constantly monitoring our information systems and taking action whenever potential vulnerabilities are discovered.

Technical Explanation for The Heartbleed Bug

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) software is used on websites to protect users where sensitive data is exchanged. Heartbleed is a security vulnerability in certain versions (1.0.1 thru 1.0.1f.) of OpenSSL software that lets a hacker access the memory of data servers. This means that the bug could possibly access the data – including usernames, passwords, and credit card information. Because OpenSSL software secures hundreds of thousands of Internet sites worldwide this is a serious issue.

Stay Safe Everywhere You Go on the Internet!

We want you and your personal information to be safe everywhere. That is why we recommend changing your passwords frequently (especially your financial, shopping and social networking sites) at least every 30 days and using complex passwords that are at least 8 characters long that contain at least one capital letter, numbers and special characters. Here is an example of a strong password BtG!5k1#. It is also good practice to delete cookies from financial, shopping and social networking sites.

Click here for more information about the Heartbleed Bug

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