What to Do If You Think You've Been Targeted by Fraud

Fraud can happen to anyone. Whether it’s an unfamiliar transaction, a suspicious text message or an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to be your bank, realizing you may have been targeted can be stressful.

The good news? Acting quickly can help limit potential damage and protect your information. If something doesn’t look or feel right, trust your instincts and take these steps.

CONTACT YOUR BANK RIGHT AWAY

If you notice an unauthorized transaction or believe you’ve shared personal or account information with a scammer, contact your bank as soon as possible.

For Renasant customers, you can contact the Customer Experience Center at 877.367.5371 or visit a local branch. Renasant’s Fraud Resource Center also provides information about recognizing and reporting fraudulent activity.

Don’t wait to see whether a suspicious transaction happens again. The sooner your bank knows about potential fraud, the sooner it can help you determine what steps to take next.

SECURE YOUR ACCOUNTS

If you think your Online Banking credentials or other sensitive information may have been compromised, take steps to secure your accounts.

Consider:

• Changing your online banking password and any other passwords that may have been exposed.
• Using unique passwords for your financial accounts.
• Turning on available account and transaction alerts.
• Reviewing your debit card settings and using card controls when appropriate.
• Contacting your bank if you believe your account number or other sensitive information has been compromised.

Renasant offers account alerts and debit card alerts to help customers monitor activity. Its mobile banking tools also allow customers to turn a debit card on or off and manage certain card controls.

Remember: Renasant will never ask you to provide your online banking user ID or password by phone, text or email.

REVIEW YOUR RECENT TRANSACTIONS

Take a close look at your checking, savings and credit card activity. Look for transactions you don’t recognize, even if they seem small.

Scammers may sometimes begin with a small transaction to see whether an account is active before attempting something larger. If you find something suspicious, make a note of the transaction details and report it to your bank.

Going forward, make account monitoring a regular habit. Reviewing your transactions frequently can help you spot unusual activity sooner.

STOP COMMUNICATING WITH THE SCAMMER

If you’re communicating with someone you believe may be a scammer, stop responding.

Don’t click additional links, open attachments, send money or provide additional information. Be especially cautious if the person is pressuring you to act immediately or telling you to keep the conversation secret.

Scammers often create a sense of urgency because they don’t want you to have time to stop and verify what’s happening.

If you received a suspicious message that appears to come from Renasant, don’t use the phone number or link provided in that message to verify it. Instead, contact Renasant directly using a trusted phone number or by visiting a local branch.

CONSIDER ADDITIONAL PROTECTION

If you believe your personal information, not just your bank account information, has been compromised, consider taking additional steps to protect your identity.

Depending on what information was exposed, you may want to:

• Review your credit reports for unfamiliar accounts or activity.
• Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus.
• Change passwords for other accounts that use the same or similar credentials.
• Report identity theft or scams to the appropriate government agencies.
• Keep records of suspicious messages, transactions and communications in case they are needed later.