Beware of Suspicious Phone Calls Regarding Your Debit/Check Card

Morgantown, WV. March 18, 2009 - Beware of recent "vishing" telephone calls which appear to come from your bank, but are actually made by scammers attempting to gather personal financial information from individuals. The calls may even display a strange code or number on your caller ID systems or even appear to be from a number at your bank.

The phone calls contain a pre-recorded message claiming to be from your bank or another financial institution. The message indicates that the consumer's debit/check card usage is showing suspicious activity and asks consumers to call a "customer service" number immediately. The toll-free number is answered by an automated service which directs the customer to enter personal information using the key pad. This information includes your debit/check card number, card expiration date and your personal identification number (PIN). In some cases, the company identifies itself as General Protection Services. (Centra Bank is in no way affiliated with this company.)

Centra Bank does not call or email customers asking for personal identifying information. As a rule, please do not communicate personal information by telephone or e-mail unless you have initiated the call yourself by dialing a Centra Bank number.

"Vishing" is a new version of the familiar "phishing" email scams. "Vishing" involves scammers contacting consumers via telephone or email, and asking the consumers to call a "customer service" phone number usually to update information or to address a problem with the account. Those who call the number are asked to provide personal financial information, such as account numbers, passwords and PINs. The number of "vishing" scams is rising nationwide and these scams have included all types of businesses in all regions of the country.

Centra Bank continues to respond quickly to fraud events and provides sound guidance to customers on how to avoid identity theft.

We are here to answer your questions and to assist you in protecting your personal information.