Scammers are now using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to mimic the voices of loved ones or other contacts you know and trust, such as your local banker. Their goal may be to trick you into releasing sensitive financial information or to entice you to send them money. They often stress urgency and confidentiality to get you to act quickly and without discussing the details with your family, bank or local law enforcement. If you receive a suspicious call that claims to be from MVSB, it’s important to act quickly and protect yourself. Hang up immediately and do not engage […]
Consumer Alerts
Protecting Your Privacy: Navigating Social Media Settings
Social media platforms are constantly evolving, often introducing new features that can impact your privacy. Instagram’s recent update to its location settings has sparked fresh conversations about how much personal information we share online—sometimes without even realizing it. With these changes, it’s more important than ever to take control of your privacy by understanding and adjusting your settings. The first step to protecting your privacy is to regularly review your account settings. On Instagram, for example, you can now manage who sees your location or whether your location is shared at all. Take a moment to explore the “Privacy” section […]
Local Businesses Receive Fake Calls Claiming to be from their Bank
Local businesses are reporting a surge in dubious phone calls, allegedly from their local bank. These scammers often attempt to confirm or modify payment details or online banking credentials, which they then exploit for fraudulent activities. These scammers cleverly use publicly accessible information about bank employees to lend credibility to their calls. With the advancement in technology, they’re even employing AI to imitate voices and spoof caller IDs, making the calls appear more legitimate. It’s crucial to remember that MVSB, along with other trustworthy banks, will never reach out to you for sensitive information that’s already in their records. Such […]
NH Attorney General Warns of Deed Fraud
New Hampshire’s Attorney General is warning real estate owners of quit claim deed fraud. Fraud occurs when scammers forge documents to facilitate a fake transfer of property outside of a traditional sale – without the owner’s knowledge. Then the scammer will try to record the forged documentation with the Registry of Deeds in the county where the property is located. If successful, they can sell the property, take out a mortgage and/or rent the property for profit. Scammers tend to target vacant lots, property without liens and property owned by people living out of state. But in order to do […]
Receive a Text that You Have an Overdue Toll Bill? It’s a Scam
Our Fraud Team has reported an increase in individuals across the country receiving text messages indicating they have unpaid or overdue toll charges. These messages are a scam and recipients should ignore and delete them. If you are unsure and want to verify, reach out to the state’s tolling agency directly using a legitimate phone number or website, not the contact info provided in the text. The text will offer a way to settle your account, and you will be instructed to click on a link and provide payment information. The fraudster likely will imply a sense of urgency to […]
Don’t Fall for an Imposter Scam
Imposter scams accounted for more than one third of all reported fraud in New Hampshire in 2024, according to reports by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This amounted to 3,083 out of 8,838 fraud reports, with nearly $35 million lost to fraudsters altogether. With imposters on the rise not only in New Hampshire but throughout the country, its important to stay vigilant, understand how the scam works and steps to take to avoid becoming a victim. Imposter scam tactics may vary slightly in appearance, but they all boil down to one thing – scammers pretending to be someone else in […]
Home Sweet Hoax: Mortgage Relief Scams on the Rise
A recent update from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) indicates an alarming uptick in mortgage relief scams targeting consumers across the US. Victims report being contacted by phone and coerced into providing payment or account information urgently to avoid foreclosure on their home. Scammers typically pose as their home mortgage company or bank, often spoofing (or altering) the Caller ID information to appear as though the call is from their actual mortgage provider. How do scammers know where you financed your home? Mortgage information is often publicly available in county records and can be easily searched and located online. This […]
Local Customers Receiving Fake Fraud Texts Followed by Phone Calls
The MVSB Fraud Center will never ask you for your login information, your debit card number or other protected information. Some of our customers have let us know that they received text messages from criminals posing as our Fraud Center. The fraudsters ask about a specific transaction and as for a yes or no response. Shortly after the customer responds “no”, the criminal calls them and tries to get their online banking login and password, debit card information, account details or other protected information. If you receive this text message, please delete it and let us know by calling 603.279.7986. […]
Suspicious That Something Could be Fraud? We Are Here to Help
It sometimes can be difficult to know what to do if you are targeted by a scammer. This uncertainty and even feelings of embarrassment from falling victim to fraud often leads to underreporting of incidents and further financial damage. The good news? We are here to help. Our local bankers and fraud professionals are trained to identify scams and assist you with protecting your accounts and identity. No shaming here – only dedicated professionals with your best interest at heart. And our knowledge and awareness of the techniques that scammers are currently using helps up protect other individuals who may […]
Stay Alert When Buying from Online Marketplaces
Consider this: You are shopping on Facebook marketplace and come across a high-end gaming console for only $250, well below the $500 retail value. You reach out to the seller, and they explain that it was recently purchased, but they need to sell some things to prepare to relocate. Then the seller explains that they are in another state at the moment but would be happy to ship it. They are getting lots of inquiries so it is best to move quickly if you want it. They ask for the $250 via a payment app and explain that they will […]
