SPECIAL ALERT: LOCAL PHISHING SCAM.

Please remember to be careful when answering phone or text messages and emails on your computer, no matter who it says it is from.

Banks or other businesses that may have confidential information for you, should not request that information from you via a voice mail, text message or email. If they direct you to call a number or click on a link, DO NOT DO SO.

Call the bank or business that is supposedly requesting the information, using a phone number you know to be correct, and ask if the voice mail, text message or email was sent by them. I am positive they will tell you no, and you should always hang up or delete the email.

The following news item has come to our attention and we think it is important to share with all of you.

Montgomery Bank warns customers of a phishing scam involving the bank's name.

The scam tries to get debit or credit card information using an automated phone message to cell phones. The targets are not exclusively Montgomery Bank customers, but cell phone numbers.

The message identifies the caller as Montgomery Bank and says there is a problem with the debit or credit card.

It then requests the consumer to call a number and leave a message with his/her card number, PIN, social security number and other information. It may also ask consumers to text the information or type it in using the phone's keypad.

The information is then used to make fraudulent transactions on the account.

Chief Administrator of Montgomery Bank David Jones says the bank would never ask for that type of information by telephone, automated message or by email.

No breach of a consumer's information has occurred.

Montgomery Bank recommends following some guidelines when asked for confidential information:

Never offer personal or account information over the phone without verifying the caller's identity.
If you're unsure of the caller's identity, hang up and call back using the known or published number of the alleged caller.
Do not call any number received in a phone message or email asking for personal information. It could lead to a phony answering system.

The Bank of New Madrid has had a couple of calls from customers stating they have received calls such as the one above, however, it does not identify the caller as Bank of New Madrid, it just says your bank. Please be very cautious and DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY OF YOUR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, SUCH AS ACCOUNT NUMBERS, PIN NUMBERS, DEBIT CARD NUMBERS OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.

If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this matter, please call the Bank of New Madrid at 573-748-5551.