Community Bank of Pickens County recognizes that Internet threats have changed significantly over the past several years. We want to assist our customers in protecting your online information. Cyber-crime is a growing problem targeting financial institutions, including compromising security controls and engaging in online account takeovers and fraudulent electronic funds transfers.

To help safeguard the security of your online transactions, we want you to know that:

• We will never email, call or otherwise ask you for your user name, password or other electronic banking credentials
• You can help protect yourself by implementing alternative risk control processes like:
  • Choosing a strong user name and password that, at a minimum, uses a combination of lower case letters, upper case letters, symbols, and numbers
  • Periodically changing your password (e.g., at least every 90 days)
  • Protecting your user name and password
  • Monitoring your account activity on a regular basis
  • Logging off of your computer of tablet when you’re finished conducting business (don’t just close the page or “X” out of the system)
  • Making sure you have a firewall in place when completing your financial transactions

We may require owners of commercial accounts to complete their own risk assessments and controls evaluations. For example:

• Make a list of the risks related to online transactions that your business faces including
  • The use of old or non-complex passwords
  • Passwords being written down and left out in the open
  • Terminating the rights of previous employees
  • The possibility of internal theft or fraud
  • The lack of dual control or other checks and balances over individual access to online transaction capabilities
• An evaluation of controls your business uses may include
  • Store passwords in secure password protected software
  • Conducting internal or third-party audits of controls
  • Using firewalls to protect from hackers or outside intrusion
  • Conducting employee background checks
  • Segregating duties among two or more people so no one person has too much access or control
  • Introducing a policy and process to terminate access for former employees

Federal regulations provide consumers with some protections for electronic fund transfers. These regulations generally apply to accounts with Online access. For example, these federal laws establish limits on a consumer’s responsibility for unauthorized electronic fund transfers. They also provide comprehensive steps you need to take to help resolve an error with your account. Please note, that to benefit from these protections, you must act in a timely manner. Make sure you contact the bank immediately if you believe your access information has been stolen or compromised. Also, review your account activity and statements and report any errors or unauthorized transactions. See the Electronic Fund Transfer disclosure that was provided at account opening for more information on these types of protections. This disclosure is also available upon request.

If you become aware of suspicious account activity, you should immediately contact the authorities and contact Community Bank of Pickens County at the number listed below:

706-253-9600

TIPS TO AVOID PHISHING, SPYWARE AND MALWARE:

• Do not open email from unknown sources. Be cautious of emails claiming to be from a financial institution, government department, or any other agency requesting account information, account verification, or online banking access credentials such as usernames, passwords, PIN codes, and similar information.
• Opening file attachments or clicking on Web links in a suspicious email could expose your system to malicious software that could hijack your computer.
• Never respond to a suspicious email or click on any hyperlink embedded in a suspicious email.
• Install anti-virus and spyware detection software on all computer systems. Please note that free software may not provide protection against the latest threats compared with an industry standard product.
• Update all computers regularly with the latest versions and patches for both anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
• Ensure computer operating systems are up-to-date on the latest version.
• Have a dedicated, actively managed firewall installed, especially if using a broadband or dedicated connection to the Internet, such as DSL or cable. A firewall limits the potential for unauthorized access to your network and computers.
• Check your settings and select, at least, a medium level of security for your browser.
• Clear the browser cache before starting any Online Banking session to eliminate copies of web pages that have been stored on the hard drive.
• Be advised that you will never be presented with a maintenance page after entering login credentials. Legitimate maintenance pages are displayed when first reaching the URL and before entering login credentials.
• Repeatedly being asked to enter your user ID or password could be signs of potentially harmful activity.
• Being asked challenge questions if your computer was previously registered could be a sign of potentially harmful activity.