First County Bank customers please be aware fraudsters are actively placing phone calls impersonating First County Bank employees in an attempt to convince you to provide account information.
What Is Happening
Several banks in our area including First County Bank have recently experienced a renewed wave of bank impersonation scams, targeting our customers. Our employees have received multiple reports from business customers who were contacted by individuals claiming to be First County Bank representatives, asking for sensitive account information.
Callers have spoofed legitimate First County Bank phone numbers — including branch lines — to make the calls appear genuine.
First County Bank will never call you and ask you to click a link, reply to a text, or provide account credentials over the phone to verify fraud. If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately and contact us directly.
How the Scam Works
- The Spoofed Call — You receive a call from what appears to be a First County Bank phone number. The caller ID looks legitimate because the fraudster has spoofed it.
- The False Alarm — The caller claims to be a “Fraud Officer” or bank employee and tells you there has been suspicious activity on your account, creating a sense of urgency.
- The Text or Link Trap — As part of a supposed “verification process,” the caller says they will send a text message to your mobile phone and asks you to reply or click a link. This is designed to capture your login credentials or one-time passcodes.
- Account Takeover — If you respond, the fraudster uses that information to access your account.
How to Protect Yourself
- 📵 Hang Up Immediately — If a caller pressures you for account information or asks you to click a link, end the call without engaging further.
- 🔗 Never Click Unsolicited Links — Do not click any link sent via text message as part of a phone call you did not initiate yourself.
- 📞 Call Us Back Directly — Use a phone number from our official website or contact your local branch directly.
- 🚨 Report the Incident — Contact your local branch directly or for our business customers, contact our Cash Management Services team to report any suspicious call, even if you didn’t give any information. Your report helps protect other customers.
- 👥 Warn Your Team — Business customers should brief employees, especially those handling banking or accounts payable, about this active threat.
- 🔒 Trust Your Instincts — If something feels off about a call, it probably is. Legitimate bank staff will never pressure you or rush you into sharing information.
What First County Bank Will Never Do
It’s important to know what to watch out for. First County Bank will never:
- Ask you to click a link sent by text message as part of a phone call to verify your identity
- Request your full account number, password, or PIN over the phone
- Pressure you to act immediately without giving you time to verify the caller’s identity
- Ask you to confirm a one-time passcode sent to your phone
Received a Suspicious Call? Contact us right away.
- Personal Banking Customers contact your local branch directly: firstcountybank.com/locations/
- Business Banking Customers contact our Cash Management Services team 203-462-4379
