What is Spoofing? | Friendship State Bank

Spoofing is one of many tactics scammers use in their theft attempts. Arm yourself with the information and tools below to protect your financial life and stop scammers in tracts.

Deciphering Spoofing as a Scam

Spoofing is a scam where a criminal disguises communication elements to convince an individual that they are interacting with a known, trusted source. This could mean deceptive emails, false display names, manipulated phone numbers, misleading text messages, or fraudulent website URLs that appear to be from Friendship State Bank.

Spotting Spoofing Tactics

You can beat scammers by remaining vigilant in recognizing common spoofing tactics. Whether it's deceptive text messages manipulated to look like Friendship’s actual phone number, 812-667-5101, emails mimicking official bank communications or fraudulent websites designed to look like your digital banking portal, being aware of these tactics is crucial to avoiding falling victim to the scam.

The screenshot below is a spoofing attempt. Scammers manipulated a text to appear to come from The Friendship State Bank Fraud Department. Note the typos in the message. This is also not the number that Friendship State Bank fraud alerts are sent from. You can contact us directly to obtain our Fraud Department text number and add it to your phone contacts to easily recognize a legitimate alert versus a spoofing alert.

Practical Measures to Protect Your Finances

1. Enhanced Community Awareness

Foster a community that shares insights and experiences. Engage in conversations with friends, family, and bank staff to stay informed about potential spoofing threats. A united community can act as a robust defense against deceptive practices.

2. Build Trust with Your Bankers

Strengthen your relationship with your local Friendship bankers. Regular communication is essential. If a phone call, text message, email, webpage, doesn’t feel right then hang up immediately and contact us at 812-667-5101 or go to any Friendship State Bank Branch location.

Friendship State Bank will never initiate a call, text message, or email asking for personal information including account numbers, codes, passwords, full social security number, or login information.

4. Monitor Your Accounts

Regularly monitor your accounts for unexpected transactions or suspicious activity that could be indicative of spoofing attempts.

5. Report Suspicious Activity Promptly

If you notice any irregularities, promptly report them to us. Friendship is committed to the well-being of the community, and your vigilance contributes to maintaining a secure financial environment for everyone.

Staying informed, nurturing banking relationships, and actively participating in the community's vigilance, can fortify your financial life and contribute to the overall security of your community.