Security/Fraud

Topics:

Recent Scams

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Scam Alert

There is a new scam targeting recipients of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans.

How the Scam Works:

Scammers obtain publicly available contact information—including business names, addresses, loan amounts, funding dates, and the names of the financial institutions that issued the loans—from the Small Business Administration (SBA)
They then call loan recipients posing as a bank employee to obtain their online banking credentials, claiming they are needed to stop a fraudulent transaction from processing to their accounts. This is a scam.

What to do:

Be alert and DO NOT share any personal information or bank account information with anyone who contacts or alerts you unexpectedly.
Remember, BSNB will never ask for your online banking credentials.
If you receive an unsolicited communication that appears to be from BSNB and it requests confidential information, we recommend that you do not respond.
If you think you may be a victim of a security scam or fraud, please contact or visit your closest BSNB branch or contact us directly at 518-885-6781 as soon as possible.

Your security is our top priority. We are here to help. Learn more about protecting yourself against scams and fraud.

Microsoft Security Scam Alert

It has been brought to our attention that scammers are targeting BSNB customers, posing as bank representatives, aiming to steal your personal and bank account information.

How the Scam Works:

A “Microsoft Security” message appears on your screen stating there is a virus on your computer.
A letter, which appears to be from BSNB, pops up notifying you there was a recent security incident that may have impacted your accounts.
The letter prompts you to call a “dedicated support line” to connect you to “John William.” This is a scam.
Once you call this fake representative, they ask for details such as Social Security Number and Bank Account Number.

What to do:

Be alert and DO NOT share any personal information or bank account information with anyone who contacts or alerts you unexpectedly.
Remember, BSNB will never ask for sensitive or confidential personal or account information via phone calls, email, or text message.
If you receive an unsolicited communication that appears to be from BSNB and it requests confidential information, we recommend that you do not respond.
If you think you may be a victim of a security scam or fraud, please contact or visit your closest BSNB branch as soon as possible.

Your security is our top priority. We are here to help. Learn more about protecting yourself against scams and fraud.

Click here to learn about the FTC’s most recent alerts.

Phishing

The process of seeking to obtain personal information illegally through email or pop-up messages in order to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information.

SMS Phishing or Smishing

This is the same process as Phishing but through the medium of text message or SMS.

It is the policy of BSNB not to request information that is confidential in nature regarding you or your accounts via normal email or text message. If you receive an unsolicited email or text message that appears to be from BSNB and it requests confidential information, we recommend that you do not respond. If you receive such an email or text message, please contact your BSNB representative.

We’ve enhanced the security of your BSNB accounts

Effective 8/4/2025, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will be required to log into your online banking account and access certain features. MFA provides an additional layer of security, helping reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your account.

Setting up MFA is easy:

Sign in to online banking using your username and password
We will send a one-time security code to an email address you have on file with us
After receiving the security code, enter it into online banking to finish signing in and setting up your MFA

Never share your password with others

To enable MFA via text message:

After setting up email MFA, sign in to online banking using a desktop computer or the web browser on your mobile device (the text alert setup process cannot be completed using the BSNB Mobile App)
Navigate to Services & Settings > Security Code Delivery
Select: Enroll to receive text alerts

Note: If you do not have a cell phone number on file, you will need to update your contact information by navigating to Your Name > Contact Information (located near the log-out button)

Follow the remaining steps as prompted to complete your text alert enrollment

If you need additional support, please contact us:

Customer Support: (518) 885-6781
Mon – Fri 8:00am – 5:00pm
Sat 9:00am – 12:00pm

Thank you for choosing BSNB

Think you may be a Victim of Fraud?

Contact or visit your closest BSNB branch as soon as possible

Need help, but it’s not branch hours?

Protecting Yourself Online

Never reveal your password to anyone that you don't want to have access to your account. You can further safeguard your account information by following these guidelines:

Never write your password down and leave it where someone else could find it and use it.
Change your password on a regular basis.
Make sure to Sign Off to end each Online Banking or Mobile Banking session. Do not use the Back button to exit the site.
Establish login alerts/notifications from Online Banking to your email account to confirm each time your BSNB online account is accessed from a PC or mobile device.

Protecting Your Computer

BSNB and our Online Banking service provider employ multiple levels of security to protect your account information and transactions. There are additional methods that you can use as well:

Keep anti-virus software current. Scan for viruses on a weekly basis, at a minimum.
Keep your operating system and your Internet browser updated with new releases and the most recent version. These updates and patches will provide increased security. You may use any browser that supports the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protocol. Most popular browsers support this security feature.
Do not open email and attachments that are of unknown origin as this is often the source of virus and worm infections.
Do not click on hyperlinks within websites or email unless you are familiar with the source and sure that it is legitimate. Hyperlinks are often used as a method to download malicious software on your computer.

Protecting Your Information from Identity Theft

To reinforce our commitment to online fraud prevention, we've also introduced an easy-to-use Security Toolkit and Online Security Glossary designed to help you understand Online Banking security, your general computer safety, and more.

Using BSNB's Mobile Banking

More customers than ever are turning to the convenience of banking on a mobile device. Some mobile best practices include:

Never store your password on any mobile device.
Download a security solution for your device that will work with your operating system to protect against viruses and malware.
When you log into Mobile Banking, be aware of the people around you. Even if you are speaking on your phone, be careful not to give account numbers or other personal information within earshot of others.
Monitor your accounts. Check balances and items that are presented on a regular basis. This will help to spot any suspicious activity.
Don’t access banking or shopping applications using private credentials while connected through public Wi-Fi connections.
Establish and maintain a security password or PIN to unlock your phone or tablet.
Don’t ‘jailbreak’ or ‘root’ your phone. These processes bypass the built-in security features of the manufacturer.

Using Text Banking

Text banking is the quick and easy way to get account information. Text banking gives you access to your accounts via text (SMS) messages on your phone. Send us a text for the information you need and receive balance and transaction information within seconds. When utilizing text banking, be aware of the following safety tip:

Frequently delete text messages received from us on your mobile device.

Accessing the Mobile Website

The mobile website provides convenient access to your accounts from your mobile web browser. If you can access the internet, you'll be able to use BSNB's mobile website. When you use the mobile website for online banking, you should take the following steps before sharing your mobile phone with others or before sending it in for repair/maintenance:

Clear the browsing history.
Clear cache and temporary files stored in the memory as they may contain your account numbers and other sensitive information.

Using Our Mobile App

BSNB’s mobile app is available for Apple iPhone and Android products. When downloading and using the mobile app, be aware of the following for your safety:

Only download the app from the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store.
Sign Off and completely close out of the app when you are finished using it.

If You Lose Your Phone

If you change your mobile number or lose your mobile device, immediately log onto online banking through a PC or tablet to disable Mobile Banking for the mobile device. Change your sign on information to Online Banking and notify us immediately to alert us to the loss.