Seven Tips to Protect Yourself Online with Better Passwords

The good news? Creating strong passwords doesn’t require advanced technical skills. With a few smart habits, you can dramatically reduce your risk of fraud, identity theft, and account takeovers. Below are seven proven best practices to help you create stronger passwords and remember them without frustration.

1. Use Long Passwords or Passphrases

• Aim for 12–16 characters or more.
• Consider a passphrase made of several unrelated words.
  • Example: RiverSunsetCoffeeBike!

2. Never Reuse Passwords Across Accounts

• Use a unique password for every important account, especially:
  • Online banking
  • Email
  • Payment apps
  • Retail and subscription services

3. Avoid Personal or Predictable Information

• Names of family members or pets
• Birthdays or anniversaries
• Phone numbers or addresses
• Common substitutions like P@ssw0rd

4. Mix in Capital Letters and Symbols to Make Passwords Stronger

• Capitalize letters in uncommon places (not just the first letter)
• Add symbols like ! @ # $ % where they feel natural
• Replace spaces in passphrases using symbols.
  • Example: River!Sunset#Coffee$Bike

5. Use a Password Manager (and Let It Do the Heavy Lifting)

• Use a reputable password manager to:
  • Generate strong passwords automatically.
  • Store them securely
  • Autofill logins safely

6. Add Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Wherever Possible

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on important accounts.
• This may include:
  • A one-time code sent to your phone
  • A biometric login (fingerprint or face ID)
  • An authenticator app

7. Change Passwords When There’s a Reason — Not Just a Notice

• A company reports a data breach.
• You receive an alert that your credentials were exposed.
• You notice suspicious account activity.

Final Thought: Strong Passwords Are All About Peace of Mind

Looking for more resources for preventing fraud and avoiding scams, check out our Fraud Prevention page.

Financial Fraud Attempts Growing

Data breaches, unfortuanately, have become a common occurance in this modern world.  High-severity breaches include sensitive data such as social security numbers and passwords. With so many of these instances, it is essential to review your statements and monitor your accounts regularly. 

At the Bank, we continue to see the number of attempts by fraudsters to gain access to client accounts grow. They use the information found on the dark web from the hundreds of data breaches to impersonate the customer on the phone. (This is why we go to such lengths to accurately identify you when you call into our Customer Care Team.) Or with that info, fraudsters can sometimes guess the client’s ID and password for online banking, which they will then use to transfer funds or send payments to fake businesses.

How can you best protect yourself from these scenarios?

• Check your statements routinely and call the Bank if you see any irregularities.
• Use long passwords with at least ten characters and a mix of alphanumeric characters (A, b, 1, 9) using upper and lower case and symbols (@, $, %, *).
• Never use the same passwords on multiple sites.
• Speak to a banker to set up a security challenge pass-phrase that must be shared before making any changes to account(s).
• Never use your mother’s maiden name or other easily obtained information for passwords or security phrases. These can be found on genealogy sites or learned from your social media. 
• Update the Bank with your current contact info, particularly your cell phone number.  This helps us contact you faster if we notice something odd with your account.
• Those fun quizzes on social media about “have you ever” or trivia contests – don’t do it. Those are often collection points for hackers to gain extra info about you. 

 Other tips and resources for protecting against financial fraud are available here.
Fraud Protection Tips

If you ever notice something odd or feel your account may have been compromised, please always contact the Bank immediately. 

 Ashland: 573-657-0849  |  Columbia: 573-447-1771  |  Fulton: 573-642-3322  |  Mokane: 573-676-5711
Or Reach Any Locations Using: 800-446-2265

In a world where fraud can target anyone, even the most informed and discerning individuals can become victims of cunning schemes. The following incident from a Callaway Bank client is a stark reminder of this unsettling reality and the importance of fraud prevention.

How Fraudsters Target Locals in Boone & Callaway Counties

Mary Quartermont, Assistant Vice President and Deposit Operations Manager at The Callaway Bank, has seen many unfortunate instances of good people conned out of their life savings. She shares a true story of an intelligent individual who fell into the clutches of a fraudulent scheme orchestrated through social media.

This victim was a widower who had recently lost his spouse and encountered a fraudster on Facebook posing as an investment agent with an impressive reputation. The scammer recognized that the victim was likely lonely. Over several months, they deftly built a bond with the gentleman, using shared interests and friendly conversations to establish trust.

As the relationship grew, the fraudster skillfully persuaded the victim to invest funds under the pretense of lucrative opportunities. They even produced a fake account that showed they were making money for their clients. These con artists often create fake websites and social media personas to help convince their victims that everything they say is legitimate.

How Bankers Identify Potential Fraud

The scammer gave detailed instructions on wiring the funds to be invested. Knowing that the bank would ask about details of the wire, the victim was coached on what to say to help navigate the bank’s scrutiny and evade detection. “Tell them you’re helping a family member out, or it’s going to one of your kids, etc. That will steer the bank from suspicion of fraud,” the fraudster explained.

However, the keen-eyed team at The Callaway Bank detected inconsistencies in the transaction, prompting a thorough investigation. At first, the client was insistent that he knew this individual and that they would not scam him or cause him financial harm. Despite initial reluctance from the targeted gentlemen, the evidence revealed the scheme’s true nature. The victim had unwittingly fallen for a clever ploy, capitalizing on their emotional vulnerability and desire for a good investment.

It is vital to understand that falling prey to such deceit does not reflect the victim’s shortcomings. These con artists employ sophisticated tactics that can ensnare individuals from all walks of life, all ages, and all levels of education, regardless of their technological expertise.

How to Protect Yourself From Fraudsters

The Callaway Bank urges customers to remain vigilant and seek support if they encounter suspicious situations. Seeking advice from trusted family members, bankers, or close friends can act as a defense against these insidious practices and ensure fraud prevention.

This cautionary tale reminds us that fraudsters are adept at manipulating situations and emotions, making it essential for individuals to remain cautious and informed to protect themselves from potential scams. No one is exempt from the risk, and staying alert is the first defense against these cunning perpetrators.

If you experience a suspicious interaction, don’t hesitate to contact us for further review.

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What Homeowners Need to Know About Reducing Mortgage Mail Fraud

Whether you’re closing on a home or purchased it decades ago, receiving regular updates from your lender is expected throughout the duration of the mortgage. Unfortunately, third-party companies have begun targeting this relationship and sending out large amounts of home loan-based junk mail. These postcards and letters often appear to be from your mortgage lender or another official organization, which can cause confusion and even put you at risk for fraud. Here’s a closer look at who’s sending these documents and how to stop it.

Read More: How to Reduce Mortgage Junk Mail

Where Are These Mortgage Postcards & Letters Coming From?

Some of the companies behind the junk mail are legally legitimate businesses, such as financial lenders and warranty companies. However, they often utilize deceptive practices to get the attention of homeowners across Boone and Callaway counties, such as printing the originating bank’s name on the postcard and adding an account number. Fraudsters also follow the same strategy but operate completely illegally. For example, they may pose as the bank itself.

 The goal of these documents is usually always financial, but they go about it in a few different ways.

The goal of these documents is usually always financial, but they go about it in a few different ways. They may suggest important documents need filing or a payment is due or past due, requesting that you call them as soon as possible. Offering help to prevent foreclosure is another common tactic, along with mortgage modifications, like promise of a lower interest rate.

In most cases, they present just enough detail to lure the homeowner into contacting them in order to convince the homeowner to sign up for an unnecessary service or refinance with their company, which is usually accompanied by substantial fees. If there’s not a legitimate business behind it, the fraudsters may request a wire transfer or pre-emptive payment to steal funds directly.

How Do They Get Homeowner Information?

Applying for a mortgage involves providing an incredible amount of personal detail. At The Callaway Bank, we keep all these details private and protected, never sharing or distributing the data to non-affiliates. However, the purchase becomes public record at closing. As a result, elements included in the deed transfer are easily obtainable through the state or local recorder’s office, including name and location of property. Third parties can pull the information and sell it to other companies or use it themselves for mailers.

New loans, like a mortgage, are also reported to the main credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, Equifax, and Innovis. Unfortunately, these credit bureaus often sell personal data to third parties. As such, other companies can pay to access your details, like age, property information, and lender name, and use it for their own gain.

How to Identify Third-Party Loan Mailers in Mid-Missouri

A major challenge with mortgage junk mail is that the third-party companies replicate the look of official documents. Luckily, there are a few common signs that indicate potential spam or fraudulent materials.

Bright Colors

Typically, banking documents are printed on white or neutral backgrounds. Third-party mailers, on the other hand, may utilize bright colors to catch your attention. Approach red, yellow, and other abnormal shades with caution.

Incorrect Account Information

It’s also common for these documents to list an account number, which makes them appear official. However, it’s seldom the same as the actual home loan account. As such, always be sure to check the number before taking any further steps.

 For that reason, prominent words on the postcard or envelope are likely to evoke panic, like “important”, “urgent”, “time sensitive”, and “final notice”.

Alarming Terms

These home loan mailers are designed to prompt the reader to action. For that reason, prominent words on the postcard or envelope are likely to evoke panic, like “important”, “urgent”, “time sensitive”, and “final notice”. Such terms may be bolded and in larger font than the rest of the text to catch the reader’s attention.

Disclaimer

It’s illegal for these non-affiliate companies to pose as the mortgage lender. Yet, they often mention the name of the bank to confuse readers into thinking they’re directly associated with the financial institution. To prevent such tactics from getting them into legal trouble, they may place a disclaimer on the mailer. Typically, it’s in small print and overshadowed by other elements, so complete a thorough document inspection to identify if such a statement is present.

How to Protect Your Information

While it may not be possible to avoid unsolicited mailings altogether, there are a few methods that can reduce unwanted contacts.

Sign Up Online

Consumers have the option to opt-out of pre-screening offers based on credit report information through OptOutPrescreen.com – the official website used by the top four credit bureaus in the U.S. The service allows users to request a temporary five-year ban on data release directly through their website. Simply fill out their online form and provide personal details, like name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. This step can also help reduce unwanted phone calls.

Permanent Removal

The service also offers a permanent removal option. To opt-out out of their pre-screening offers forever, download the paperwork and mail it in. Once completed, it’s possible to go back and opt-in again through the website.

Reduce Junk Mail

The Direct Marketing Association also allows registrants to specify what – if any – types of marketing-based mail they want to receive, including catalogs. While the junk-mail-suppression service promises 10 years of relief, it requires a sign-up fee. It also isn’t likely to impact any fraudulent senders.

How Your Local Bank Can Help

At The Callaway Bank, we take extensive steps to protect our customers’ data. For example, our fraud prevention system monitors and flags unusual banking patterns to stop fraudsters in their tracks. Our local bank’s Digital Banking solutions also add an extra layer of protection by requiring a secure access code when logging in on-top of utilizing unique username and password details.

Additionally, if you do receive any strange or suspected spam mail, our dedicated bankers are available to check the document’s validity to provide you with peace of mind.

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Staying Ahead of Fraudsters with Fraud Prevention Enhancement

The Callaway Bank takes cyber security and protects our clients from fraudsters seriously. We are proud to announce that we have recently enhanced the fraud prevention tools in our Digital Banking platform.  Going forward, if the fraud prevention system notices something out of the ordinary in your Digital Banking use, you will be prompted to enter a random code sent to you via text or through the DUO app (whatever method you chose for your out-of-band authentication) before continuing.

How Does It Work?

Once the fraud prevention tool has learned your usual usage patterns, it can recognize potential attempts by fraudsters to gain access to your account. The tool can detect, among many variables, sudden changes in location, suspicious logins from different devices or IP addresses, and attempts to transfer unusual sums of money from your account. When unusual activity is detected, the system will send an alert prompting you to authenticate yourself via text message or mobile application.

What About Legitimate Out-of-the-Ordinary Activity?

We understand there may be times when you want or need to use Digital Banking in ways outside of your usual behavior – such as when traveling abroad or using a different device than usual. In these cases, our fraud prevention tool won’t impede legitimate activities; instead, it will simply ask you to authenticate yourself so that we can verify it is indeed you who is attempting access. This helps ensure that no one else can gain access to your account without authorization.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Protecting our clients from fraudsters and other cybersecurity threats is always a top priority.  The fraud prevention system is only one of many system tools we use to stop cybercriminals.  While no automated system is 100% perfect, we feel this new fraud prevention enhancement will help a great deal in preventing unauthorized access to your Digital Banking.  As always, we will continue to develop new security measures to help protect you.

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Have you received a postcard or letter with “an important matter” regarding your mortgage?

Have you received a postcard or letter about a time-sensitive issue with your mortgage urging you to call an unknown phone number? If you have, you are not alone. Scammers all across the country are pulling public data records to target you and your information.

The first thing to understand is that these mailings did not come from The Callaway Bank or any other financial institution. They are sent to homeowners in the hopes of selling them something or, most often, to steal their identity by tricking them. Recipients are asked to call a phone number about an “important matter” with their loan. This scam is especially tricky because it looks like a late notice or official letter that mentions your lender by name.

The notices will often have a small disclaimer on the bottom stating, “Not Affiliated With” and your lender name. However, in the example below, there is no mention of that.

The example seen below is from Home Warranty Solutions and mentions The Callaway Bank as the lender. According to The Better Business Bureau, Home Warranty Solutions has a C rating and not BBB Accredited. The letter also gives the impression that they are working with the bank. But that is not true at all.

The Callaway Bank is committed to protecting your personal information, and we do not sell or otherwise distribute it to non-affiliate third parties. There is some information with mortgages, regardless of what lender you might have worked with, that is public record. Public Record entries are how scammers like this obtain your information. For example, companies can get information from a county recorder’s office, such as lien filings or property purchase and transfer documents, which are all public records. The records and the information they can gather are used to develop letters with detailed information to help legitimize the “important matter” they refer to.

If you receive the notice, disregard and dispose of it as you would any other junk mail. Calling the number may connect you with a real person, or it may connect you to an automated recording. Regardless, do not offer your personal information. It could lead to some unfortunate problems.

Please contact us for any questions you may have.