INDEPENDENCE BRANCH CLOSING EARLY DUE TO RAGBRAI
The Independence branch will be closing at noon on Thursday, July 23rd and opening late at 10:00 AM on Friday, July 24th.
From the President’s Desk…
Fraud, particularly cyber-related crime, continues to rise at an alarming rate. According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, cyber crimes reported in the US resulted in a staggering $16.6 billion in losses, a 33% increase from the prior year. Of course, countless billions more dollars were likely lost in crimes that went unreported.
Most people assume those dollars have no chance of being recovered, but that’s not always the case. The key is immediate reporting, including completion of online documentation at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) website. IC3’s Recovery Asset Team reports a 66% success rate, resulting in $561 million in recoveries for freezing funds that were reported quickly.
The key is to stay vigilant. Never share confidential personal or bank account information with someone you don’t know. Monitor your bank account activity frequently utilizing secure online tools. Never under any circumstances deposit a check from a stranger and send them money back, especially in the form of gift cards or cryptocurrency. Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). Finally, if you believe you have been or are in danger of being defrauded, contact your bank, credit card company, local law enforcement, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center immediately.