Be Cyber Smart

Romance Scam

This type of scam occurs when a criminal creates a fake online profile in an attempt to gain trust and affection from you. Once that relationship is formed, the scammer will use the illusion of romance to manipulate you into giving them your personal information. Signs of this type of scam could be when someone professes love quickly, won’t meet in person, claims to be overseas for business or in the military, and asks for money for emergencies, bills, travel, etc.

Rogue Security Alerts on PC’s

Sometimes known as “Scareware” or “Fraudware”, this type of scam uses malicious software to make you believe there is a virus on your computer, with the attempt to convince you to pay money for a fake virus protection program. The fake virus protection software then installs malware onto your PC, leading to a ransomware situation (where they block you from accessing your data and hold it until you make payment). Rouge Security Software can corrupt files, lure infected PCs into fraudulent transactions, steal personal information, and more.

Business/Government Impersonation Scams

These scams occur when fraudsters pretend to be a legitimate business or government agency, using their information so that you believe they are a trusted source, and then attempt to convince you to send money, gift cards, crypto currency, or provide your personal banking credentials.

Fake Invoice Scam

This is when you receive an invoice by mail, email, or another digital outlet, that is designed to look like it is legitimate, but is instead, part of a malicious attempt to gain your banking information or to have you send money to the fraudster rather than the legitimate business you may be expecting to pay.

• DO NOT enter your username, password, or authentication codes into links from text messages.
• If you ever receive a fraud alert regarding transactions on your account and want to verify, you should either call the bank directly, call the phone number on the back of your debit card, or sign into online banking through your normal sign in method (never using links received in messages or email).
• If you did enter your username, password, or passcode, contact TCBT immediately, or come into a branch. Our Call Center is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 877-813-3282.
• Please send a screenshot of the message to reportphish@mytcbt.com.
• Report the message as spam/junk using your mobile carrier.

• We are working to have the spoofed websites taken down.
• We are working with customers who input their credentials to minimize any losses.
• We have filed a report with the FBI’s IC3 group.