Protect your private information from Internet, e-mail scams.

At JGB Bank, your privacy is very important to us. We want to inform you about a new scam on the Internet called “phishing” a technique used by hackers to lure online consumers to fraudulent websites via e-mail. The e-mail appears to be sent from a bank or bank regulators. The message in the e-mail often warns consumers that their account will be closed if their information is not updated or “verified” and directs consumers to a link. That link opens a form asking for bank account information such as routing numbers, account numbers, and PIN numbers.

JGB Bank does not send or request confidential information through e-mail. You should never enter private, personal information on a form sent to you by e-mail. We take the privacy and security of your financial information very seriously.

Here are a few ways to protect yourself from Internet and e-mail fraud:

• Never click on links in unexpected e-mails that request confidential information. If updates to information are needed, always type in the address to the web site in the browser.
• Before submitting confidential information through forms, look for the “lock” in your browser’s status bar, generally in the bottom right of the screen. The lock verifies that the information being submitted is secure during transmission.
• Watch for misspellings or grammatical errors on forms requesting confidential information. Hackers often make errors while rushing to get bogus web sites in place. If something doesn’t look right, there is a good chance that it is not.

If you receive e-mail requesting information about your JGB Bank account, do not click any links or submit any information requested. Please contact your local branch and report the suspicious e-mail.