Consumer Alerts

Bank of Oak Ridge created this page as part of our ongoing mission to protect you and your family. Check back often to learn about new fraud alerts and scams.

Did you know peace of mind costs less than 25 cents a day? Find out how our Identity Theft Protection Services can safeguard your family’s information, and sleep a little better tonight.

Consumer Alert Resources

• FDIC Consumer Alerts
• FDIC Consumer Protection
• Health Insurance Marketplace Fraud
• IRS Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts
• Federal Trade Commission Scam Alerts
• Washington State Department of Financial Institutions

Protect Yourself from Fake Check Scams

Surprisingly, fake check scams have become increasingly popular in today’s digital and mobile era. Scammers are using advanced graphics and printing to create fraudulent counterfeit checks. These checks can be hard to detect from real ones. Bank of Oak Ridge works diligently to identify fraudulent activity and help arm our clients with information to protect themselves. Learn more about how you can protect yourself from fake check scams here:

Fake Check Scams, How to Spot a Fake, and What to Do If You Are Scammed

Retailer Database Breaches

Our clients are at the heart of everything we do at Bank of Oak Ridge. After all, we’re a community bank, and our clients are also our friends and neighbors. Among our top priorities is safeguarding your financial and personal information.

You may have heard that multiple national retailers, such as Home Depot and Jimmy John’s, have confirmed breaches to their debit and credit card processing systems. While some of our clients were affected, the good news is that Bank of Oak Ridge is acting quickly on their behalf. We will be contacting people whose personal and/or financial information may have been compromised and are helping them minimize the risk of fraudulent activity on their accounts. We take data breaches very seriously. We continue to diligently monitor the situation and will advise clients if we discover the need to replace your cards when a breach occurs.

In light of these incidents, our fraud monitoring processes have increased. You may receive automated phone calls from Bank of Oak Ridge to verify that account activity has been authorized. These calls are legitimate and are designed to add another layer of protection for you. If fraudulent activity is confirmed, you will be connected with resources to help you resolve the situation. And rest assured that you will not be held responsible for any fraudulent transactions due to a data breach.

The best way to prevent identity theft is by working as a team. Join Bank of Oak Ridge’s efforts by:

• Ensuring that we have your current contact information. To check or update your information, call Client Connect at 336-644-9944, stop by one of our convenient Triad office locations, visit the online banking portal, or use the mobile banking app. Make online updates by logging in and clicking “Services”>”Change Info” in the menu options.
• Closely monitoring your accounts. Look for suspicious card activity, such as false or multiple charges, on a regular basis and notify Bank of Oak Ridge immediately if detected. After regular business hours, please call our fraud prevention center at 800-554-8969 to report unauthorized debit card activity or 800-423-7503 to report suspicious credit card transactions. We will guide you through any additional steps necessary.
• Ordering a credit report. Contact one of the three major credit bureaus annually to request a copy, and then review it thoroughly.
  Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; http://www.equifax.com
  Experian: 1-888-397-3742; http://www.experian.com
  TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; http://www.transunion.com
• Using unique passwords. When it comes to online financial accounts, never share or duplicate your password, account number, PIN, or answers to security questions.
• Eliminating financial information on electronics. Don’t save credit card, debit card, bank account, routing, or other important numbers on your computer, phone, or tablet.
• Password-protecting mobile devices. Set your smartphone, tablet, and laptop to automatically lock after a pre-selected period of time.
• Being cautious. Fraudulent communications are rampant. Never provide financial information over the phone or Internet if you are unsure of the person/company asking for it.
• Knowing where your mobile devices are. Keep tabs on your smartphone and tablet at all times, and only log onto financial websites when you have a secure, trusted Internet connection.

Thank you for choosing Bank of Oak Ridge. We are always happy to answer questions about your accounts or provide information about our Identity Theft Protection Services.

Heartbleed Bug

The “Heartbleed Bug” made big news because it can compromise the encryption of vulnerable websites and allow personal information to be stolen. We want to assure you that Bank of Oak Ridge’s online and mobile banking systems are safe from the Heartbleed Bug.

The only good thing to come from this bug is a reminder about the importance of passwords. Guarding your personal and financial information is extremely important to Bank of Oak Ridge, and we want to share the best ways to stay safe at home and work, too. Ask yourself whether your passwords are:

• Unique to the various websites you visit?
• Changed frequently?
• At least 8 characters long?
•  A combination of letters, numbers, and/or symbols?
• Stored securely?
•  Only known to you?

If you have any questions about the security of our online and mobile services—or want more information about password best practices—please call Client Connect at 336-644-9944 or stop by any of our convenient office locations.

Text Message Scam

Some of our clients have received phony text messages claiming to be from Bank of Oak Ridge. The messages falsely claim that recipients’ debit cards have been deactivated, ask them to call a provided phone number, and then prompt them to enter their card number. This is a text-phishing scam designed to trick people into revealing financial information.

As a reminder, Bank of Oak Ridge will never ask for personal information in a text message or email. If you receive a message like this, please do not respond to it. Instead, report it to us at BKOR-IB@bankofoakridge.com. If you think you have provided sensitive information in response to a fake text or email, please contact Client Connect at 336-644-9944.

We regret that the scammers have targeted Bank of Oak Ridge clients and apologize for any inconvenience they have caused. Our priority every day is your financial wellbeing, including the security of your personal information. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you for years to come.