#selectItem.getTitle()

Security Alerts

Fraudulent Northrim Mobile App

September 27, 2011

A fraudulent Northrim mobile app was recently created. The app appears to be from Northrim Bank and includes the use of our logo. Northrim Bank does not currently offer a smartphone mobile app. The fraudulent app has been removed/deleted. However, if you have downloaded what you believe to be a Northrim mobile app, please contact our Customer Service Center at 562-0062 or toll free at 1-800-478-2265.  

Fraudulent Emails Claiming to be From the FDIC

June 6, 2011

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of fraudulent emails that have the appearance of being from the FDIC. The emails appear to be sent from various "@fdic.gov" email addresses, such as "subscriptions@fdic.gov," "alert@fdic.gov," or "accounts@fdic.gov." They have subject lines that read: "FDIC: Your business account" or "FDIC: About Your Business Account."

The emails are addressed to "Business Customer" or "Business Owner" and state "We have important information about your bank" or "financial institution." They then ask recipients to "Please click here to find details." They conclude with, "This includes information on the acquiring bank (if applicable), how your accounts and loans are affected, and how vendors can file claims against the receivership."

These emails and the link included are fraudulent and were not sent by the FDIC. Recipients should consider the intent of these emails as an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, or to load malicious software onto end users' computers. Recipients should NOT access the link provided within the body of the emails and should NOT, under any circumstances, provide any personal financial information through this media.

Please be aware that other subject lines and modifications to the emails may occur over time. The FDIC does not directly contact consumers in this manner nor does the FDIC request personal financial information from consumers.

For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2011/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through email, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Questions related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

Fraudulent Federal Reserve Email

May 27, 2011

Northrim has received reports that individuals and/or companies are receiving fraudulent emails claiming to be from the Federal Reserve. The email appears to be sent from “fedwire@federalreserve.org”. This is a fraudulent email and was not sent by the Federal Reserve. Do not click on any links or attachments in the email. See a sample of the email below.

Be aware that phishing emails frequently have attachments and/or links to webpages that host malicious code and software. Do not open attachments or click on links in unsolicited emails from unknown parties or from parties with whom you do not normally communicate, or that appear to be known but are suspicious or otherwise unusual. Be alert for different variation of fraudulent emails.

For more information on online security, please read the Online Security section below.

= = = = = = = Sample Email = = = = = = =

From: fedwire@federalreserve.org
Sent: Friday, ay 27, 2011 3:27 AM
To: Doe, John
Subject: Wire transfer 2054634986066 was cancelled
 

The Domestic Wire fund transfer , recently initiated from your checking account , was cancelled by an intermediary or beneficiary bank.

Please click here to view further information

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Online Security — Avoid email and internet scams

If you use email and the internet, your information could be at risk. In 2008, more than 275,000 complaints of internet crime were reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the National White Collar Crime Center and the FBI. Alaska had the highest per-capita rate of complaints in the U.S., with three times as many complaints per capita as the next highest state.

Northrim Bank has invested in making our online banking services secure and reliable; however, your online banking is only as secure as the computer you use to access it.

1. Make sure your computer software is up to date.   This includes Operating System (Windows, Linux, or Mac), applications (Office, Internet Explorer, Safari) and plug-ins (Flash, Java, Windows Media).  Most major software distributers have automatic updates that will keep your system protected. 
2. Install, and regularly update, reputable antivirus and anti-spyware software. Schedule your antivirus software to update automatically.  Be wary of free antivirus software and clean-up tools from companies you've never heard of. They could in fact be malicious software that fixes one problem but creates many more. 
3. Use public computers with care. Do not access sites that require a personal logon, such as your online banking service, from a public computer.
4. Guard your personal information.  Use strong passwords with at least eight alphanumeric characters and special characters.  Try not to use the same password on multiple sites. Never respond to emails or telephone calls with usernames, passwords, your social security number or other personal information. Northrim Bank already has this information so you do not need to tell them. 
5. Review your bank accounts regularly. Immediately report any suspicious activity to your financial institution.

• Credit card numbers
• Social security numbers
• Deposit account numbers
• User names and passwords

Phishing scams can be difficult to detect because Internet fraudsters have become very skilled at misrepresenting the businesses you know and trust. Emails created to phish information may contain stolen business logos or other visuals to mislead you into believing they are legitimate.
 

• Do not reply to emails or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information.
• Do not follow a link from an email. If you wish to check the validity of your website, type in the site name.
• If you receive a suspicious email, check the validity of the message by contacting the business at a number you know is real.
• Do not send personal or financial information in an email or email attachment.
• When you transact business online, look for security indicators such as the lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a url address that begins with “https.”
• Do not open attachments or download files unless you are confident of the source.

• Tells you there is a problem with your account.
• Directs you to website where you are asked to provide sensitive information.
• Does not include a phone number you recognize to be genuine.

• Contact your financial institution and/or credit card company to alert them to potential fraud.
• Contact the three major credit bureaus listed below to request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also investigates consumer fraud through the Bureau of Consumer Protection. You can forward unsolicited commercial email (spam), including phishing messages, directly to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.

Privacy Policy - We make sure that your personal information is protected and that you understand the policies that protect you.

Your Security - Information on identity theft prevention and detection from our Online Banking vendor, Digital Insight.