Avoid Becoming a Victim of Fraud
Take proactive measures to keep your computer system and financial information secure.
Protecting Yourself At Home
- Use a cross cut shredder to destroy any financial documents or credit solicitations.
- Never carry your social security number in your wallet or write it on a check.
- Don’t give out personal information over the phone, Internet or through the mail unless you know who you are dealing with.
- If you employ outside help, or are having work done in your house make sure you store your personal information in a secure location such as a safe or a safe deposit box at your bank.
- Enroll in eStatements so bank and credit card statements are sent electronically rather than to your mailbox at home.
Protecting Your Computer
- Install security software that includes antivirus, anti-spyware, malware and adware detection from a reputable vendor.
- Ensure that all your software is up to date.
- Do not allow your computer or web browser to save your login names or passwords.
- Always lock your computer when you leave it unattended.
- Do not open emails from untrusted sources or suspicious emails from trusted sources.
- Setup and use a “non-privileged user” account on the computer to prevent unauthorized changes to the computer.
Protecting Yourself While Traveling
- Before your trip, notify us of which countries you will be traveling to and the dates of your visit. This will enable us to take precautions in case you have fraudulent activity on your account and prevent your card from being blocked while away.
- Understand the daily spending and withdrawal restrictions associated with your debit and credit cards.
- If you lose your card, call us immediately to prevent any fraudulent charges.
- When you’re abroad, take the same precautions at ATMs as at home. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted, cover the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN and never write your PIN down. If you suspect the machine’s card slot has been tampered with, don’t use it.
- Review your statements when you return and contact us immediately if you see any suspicious or incorrect charges.
Protecting Yourself At Home
- Use a cross cut shredder to destroy any financial documents or credit solicitations.
- Never carry your social security number in your wallet or write it on a check.
- Don’t give out personal information over the phone, Internet or through the mail unless you know who you are dealing with.
- If you employ outside help, or are having work done in your house make sure you store your personal information in a secure location such as a safe or a safe deposit box at your bank.
- Enroll in eStatements so bank and credit card statements are sent electronically rather than to your mailbox at home.
Protecting Your Computer
- Install security software that includes antivirus, anti-spyware, malware and adware detection from a reputable vendor.
- Ensure that all your software is up to date.
- Do not allow your computer or web browser to save your login names or passwords.
- Always lock your computer when you leave it unattended.
- Do not open emails from untrusted sources or suspicious emails from trusted sources.
- Setup and use a “non-privileged user” account on the computer to prevent unauthorized changes to the computer.
Protecting Yourself While Traveling
- Before your trip, notify us of which countries you will be traveling to and the dates of your visit. This will enable us to take precautions in case you have fraudulent activity on your account and prevent your card from being blocked while away.
- Understand the daily spending and withdrawal restrictions associated with your debit and credit cards.
- If you lose your card, call us immediately to prevent any fraudulent charges.
- When you’re abroad, take the same precautions at ATMs as at home. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted, cover the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN and never write your PIN down. If you suspect the machine’s card slot has been tampered with, don’t use it.
- Review your statements when you return and contact us immediately if you see any suspicious or incorrect charges.
Protecting Yourself Online
Examples of Scams & Fraud
SouthState may send various communications through email. Our emails will never ask you to provide personal or confidential information.
If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from SouthState Bank, DO NOT respond or click on any links within the email.
Call us 1-800-277-2175 to report the incident.
Another way in which scams occur is through text messages. You could receive a text saying you are over the limit on your debit or credit card. The message could instruct you to reply with your card number, click on a link or call a phone number. Use caution when you receive a text message from an unfamiliar phone number.
You can also receive phone calls from fraudsters attempting to steal your personal information or obtain money from you. You could receive a call from someone claiming to be a friend or family member and asking for a large amount of money. You could also receive a call from someone posing as a financial institution and asking for personal information.
If you are unfamiliar with a phone number, use caution when answering the call. If the call sounds suspicious, hang up and call the individual impersonated on the call.
Phishing attempts can also occur via pop-up messages on popular websites. These pop-ups may appear legitimate – they can even claim they are associated with a trusted website such as a financial institution or government agency. These messages can be added by a fraudster, or they can be a result of a form of malware (malicious software), which presents unwanted advertisements to the computer user. Use caution when clicking any links within pop-ups.
If you are unsure about a pop-up on SouthState’s website, do not hesitate to call us at (800) 277-2175. We will be happy to verify whether or not the message is legitimate. If you suspect you have malware on your computer, we suggest that you have your computer scanned for malware and have antivirus software installed on your computer by a professional.
