How to Avoid Job Scams

These are challenging times for everyone.  Most people have had to adjust to new work environments, and our personal and social activities have been largely non-existent for many months.  Unfortunately, many people have also found themselves laid off or furloughed as businesses have been forced to cut back staffing or close entirely.

If you’re in the job market, be aware that the increase in job seekers has also driven an increase in fake job postings that are often mixed in with legitimate offers.  Just as bad actors prey on unsuspecting victims through email and phone scams, they are also taking advantage of the increased unemployment rate to con people into giving up personal information and money.

That said, there are many good, legitimate job opportunities available, especially as businesses continue to adjust to this new environment and find a need for more personnel, and with many employers looking for seasonal help during the holidays.  As you look for a job, just be aware that the real jobs may be intermingled with fake offers.  Here are a few things to look for that can help keep you from falling victim to a job scam.

Fees – You may come across job offers claiming to have many customers lined up and all you need to do is pay a certification, training, or placement fee.  That’s, at best, suspicious and, most likely a scam.  Legitimate employers won’t ask you to pay for placement or training.  These offers will collect your fees and never actually turn into work.  That’s not say certain certifications aren’t helpful for some jobs, but those are things you should look into on your own, separately from your job search.

Financial information –  Be wary of prospective employers who ask for your financial details, like credit card numbers or bank accounts.  Certainly, you may need to provide bank routing information if you’re going to take advantage of direct deposits, but make sure you know who you’re giving the information to.  You may want to wait a few pay cycles and deal with physical paychecks, just to make sure everything is legitimate.  If your bank enables mobile deposits, you can easily get the funds into your account without having to find time to visit a branch.

Government jobs – Remember one simple fact:  all Federal government jobs are listed online.  If you get a solicitation for a “new” or “previously undisclosed” government job, don’t reply to it.  If you’re interested in a government job, check out availability directly and follow the steps to apply.

Interviews – With very few exceptions, be wary of anyone offering to hire you without an interview.  Legitimate employers will want to meet prospective employers.  If you are offered a job based on an email or messaging exchange, or an extremely short phone call, there’s a good chance it’s a scam.

Job requirements – Make sure you know the job requirements and that those requirements make sense for the job.  Scammers often try to minimize or simplify requirements to increase their rate of “success” and to limit questions that could expose them.  Ask specific questions about the job.  Most scammers will either stop engaging or will avoid the question by telling you not to worry about it and that they will train you.

Video interviews – It’s never a bad idea to suggest a video interview.  Being able to see your interviewer can provide visual clues as to whether they are authentic or not.  If they’re not willing to use video, there’s a good chance they aren’t offering a real job – especially in today’s environment where video has become the norm.

Contact information – As with phishing emails, check your correspondences for warning signs – especially email addresses.  Scammers often use email addresses that are similar to legitimate companies, but have slight differences.  Also verify phone numbers by looking them up online.

With all that in mind, realize there are plenty of real opportunities out there and your instinct will likely be correct.  If it seems questionable or too good to be true, it probably is.  All you need to do is be a little smarter than the scammers.  They are looking to con people – they aren’t in the hiring business.  Use that to your advantage as you look for a job.  Of course, if you think you may have been exposed to a scam and possibly given away any personal information, contact your bank to make sure your accounts haven’t been compromised.

How to Keep your Kids Safe Online

With the world having gone completely digital there’s very little we can’t do online and through our smartphones or tablets.  Without question, it adds a new level of convenience to our lives.  Our kids, too, are living much of their lives online as they interact with friends, do schoolwork, play games, stream content, and more online.  In many cases, in fact, it’s fair to say kids spend more time on their phones and laptops than their parents.

With that convenience, though, comes responsibility – responsibility to behave safely and appropriately in a digital society.  As parents, we have an inherent responsibility to protect our children, and how, that extends into the digital world.  It has to – there’s too much malicious activity and cyber crime that could impact your entire family.

So, the theory is, if your kids are old enough to be online, they are old enough to be taught how to do it safely.  Here are some tips for helping to keep your kids (and the rest of your family) safe in a digital world.

Set ground rules – Maybe the first thing to do is set ground rules for online activity.  However old your kids are, make sure they understand your expectations.  That might mean setting digital curfews in the evening, no phones at the dining table, limits on non-schoolwork usage, permission to download apps or games, and more.  Some devices and applications allow you to set limits on certain apps, which can help.  Mobile carriers also offer family safety apps that can help monitor and track usage.  As a parent, you shouldn’t feel bad about monitoring your children’s online activity – their friend lists, applications, search or chat history, and other data – to make sure they are building safe habits.

Security ­– Perhaps the most important thing for your kids to understand is security.  The moment they start interacting online, your kids will potentially be exposed to millions of cyber threats, which also put your home network, and all devices attached to it, at risk.  Make sure you install appropriate security software on each device and keep it updated, and be sure your kids understand they are not to disable or uninstall them.  It’s also best to enable multi-factor authentication for all apps that offer the option (most do these days), to make it harder for accounts to be hacked.  Finally, understand that many apps request access to data that isn’t needed for the apps to function.  Make sure you look at those permissions carefully and only allow access to information that is absolutely necessary.  You may want to require parental approval for downloading and installing any new apps, especially for younger children.

Passwords – Teach your kids to use the same safe password guidelines you do.  They should avoid using the same password on multiple sites; they should change passwords regularly and monitor accounts for fraudulent activity; and importantly, they should never share account information with others.

Privacy – Kids tend to document their lives through photo and video. Remind them to respect others’ privacy when posting and that they should only post photos or videos they don’t mind being in the public domain.  Also make sure automatic geo-tagging is turned off for photos and videos.  In fact, it’s a good idea to disable location access to all apps, then enable them for specific apps that need it, like tracking apps that help you keep tabs on their location.

Social media – Social media can be overwhelming, and many adults don’t even think before posting.  When your kids are old enough to have their own social media accounts, talk to them about using good judgment and common sense on these apps.  Remind them that once they post something, it’s impossible to take it back.  Also make sure they understand the risks of connecting with people they don’t know on social media.  Kids often see social media as a popularity contest – the more follower or likes, the better.  Teach them that’s not the case and that the safest policy is to only accept friend or follow requests from people they actually know.

Safe habits – Teach your kids about phishing scams and help them understand how to identify potentially malicious emails, text messages, pop-ups, emails, and links that are designed to get them to share personal information.  Educating your kids early will help them recognize potential threats early and develop safe digital habits.  If you get a phishing message, use it as a teaching moment by showing your kids and explaining to them why it’s suspicious and how to handle it.

File sharing – At some point, your kids are likely to start exchanging files with friends, and possibly even using P2P file sharing applications.  Make sure they understand there are risks with P2P networks, like potentially malicious code embedded in flies from unknown sources, which could your network and files to others.  There’s also the issue of downloading copyrighted content illegally.  If they need share files with others, make sure they are using legitimate software that has been properly installed with appropriate settings to ensure no private information is shared.  Also make sure any files they receive from others are scanned by their security software before use.

At some point, it becomes impossible to keep children from becoming part of the digital society, especially once they start needing to access online tools for school.  The fact is, many of the applications websites, and services available today provide unique social and educational opportunities that can be helpful.  Your goal should be to help your children understand the risks and develop habits that will reduce those risks while allowing them to be part of the online world.  While there are no guarantees, following these guidelines can help.

Want more tips for keeping yourself and your family safe? Sign up for our security alerts e-newsletter here.

What Are You Doing with Your Old Electronics?

By Lynn Viesti Berube

Most of us have gotten into the good habit or recycling our plastic, glass, cardboard, and other materials on a regular basis, largely because it’s fairly easy to do and the items are collected on a regular basis by cities and towns.  But what about all the old electronics that are collecting dust in our homes?

There are more than 260 million smartphone users in the United States today.  That means 80% of the population is replacing their phones every few years – or more frequently for those who always want the latest and greatest.  Tablets, laptops, smart watches, fitness trackers, game consoles, and all sorts of other electronic devices also have fairly short replacement cycles.  Then there are other items, like printers, monitors, televisions, and other items, which eventually get replaced as well.  It all adds up to an awful lot of e-waste, which has increased by 20% globally over the past five years.  That figure is projected to grow by another 40% by the end of the decade.

The problem is that only about 17% of e-waste is documented and recycled or properly disposed of, which presents two problems.

First, these electronics contain many valuable raw materials that could be reused for new electronics or other items.  These include iron, gold, palladium, copper, and more, all of which have to be mined and processed to build new components.  Reducing the demand for new materials can save resources and money and reduce pollution.

The second issue is that, if not recycled, many of these old electronics end up in landfills, where hazardous chemicals can seep into and contaminate soil and water in surrounding areas, creating long-term health risks.  In addition, much of our waste is eventually transported to and dumped in Third World countries, who have little understanding of its potential impact.

There’s also the simple problem that some items aren’t disposed of at all and simply create clutter in homes.

There’s simple answer – recycling.

The Milford Bank is again hosting its Shred & Recycle Day, Saturday, October 10th, at its 295 Boston Post Rd, Milford, location.  The annual event allows residents of Milford and surrounding towns to get rid of not only old electronics, but also old documents that need to be shredded.

The event will be held from 9:00am-1:00pm, or until the two shred trucks are filled.  Electronic recycling is free to the general public, and document shredding is free for The Milford Bank’s customers (others may also take advantage of the service for a small $5 per box fee, all of which will be donated to Milford Food 2 Kids).  There is a three-box limit per household or business on paper, and no limit on electronics.

The Milford Bank is working with AFA Electronic Recyclers, a state-recognized e-recycling facility for electronic waste.  AFA addresses one of the concerns some people have around data security with its process, which includes completely dismantling and storage devices and shredding the data platters where the data is actually stored.  This provides data security for customers, while allowing all other components to be recycled for parts and raw materials.

If you have old electronics lying around the house, this is your chance to not only do a little fall cleaning, but do you share for the environment as well.  Take some time to collect those old items and dispose of the properly at The Milford Bank’s Shred & Recycle Day, Saturday, October 10th.

9 Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Not surprisingly, online shopping has increased significantly over the past four months, with restaurants and retail stores being closed and even those that were open using curbside pickup or delivery.  That trend continues, and even when the pandemic subsides, almost half of consumers say they will continue to use online shopping for home delivery or curbside pickup.

Many have found that online shopping is simply a more convenient option.  In many cases, it offered an opportunity to get items that were otherwise unavailable because stores were closed or items were out of stock due to high demand.  That’s all true, as long as the items arrive as scheduled.

But, many people have also reported not receiving their purchases.  In fact, the FTC says it has received more reports of problems with online shopping, with more than half saying they never received their items.

In some cases, there have been delays, or items have simply gotten lost in transit.  Companies like Amazon typically do a good job letting customers know when their items are delayed.  In many cases, if the item is lost somewhere in transit, Amazon will offer customers the opportunity to request a refund, even though the item may eventually still arrive.  It’s good customer service.

Over the past several months, thousands of unverified, fraudulent sites have popped up claiming to have many high-demand products available.  Once they receive payment, they simply don’t ship the items and, when customers call to inquire, they claim delays due to the pandemic to avoid being detected as fake for as long as possible.  It was a concern even before the pandemic, which only created another opportunity for fake sites.  Some of these sites even mimic legitimate retailers, making it even harder to tell what’s real and what’s not.

The good news is there are ways to limit your exposure to these scams.  Here are a few tips for smart online shopping to help you steer clear of any issues and make sure you get the products you order.

  • Try recognized brands first. They may not always have what you’re looking for, but it’s a good place to start.
  • Be wary of sites selling products that are in short supply, or name brand products at much lower prices than you would normally pay.
  • Make sure the website is and HTTPS site (not just HTTP), indicating a higher level of security. This is important any time you make online purchases.  Also click on the padlock next to the web address, which will give you even more information about the site’s security.
  • Also check the URL itself. Some fake sites use addresses very similar to legitimate sites to fool people.  If you typed in the address manually, double check it to make sure you didn’t make a mistake.
  • Keep your browser updated. Most browsers will warn you if you’re about to go to an unsafe site.
  • Also keep you security software updated. This is another tool to help avoid malware from suspicious sites.
  • Examine the reviews. Many sites pay for fake 5-star reviews that all sound about the same.  Look for a variety or reviews and ratings.  You can also use sites like Fakespot, which analyzes and rates the validity of reviews on sites.
  • Other resources are available to help check website reputation, like URLVoid or Google Transparency Report. You can also check the Better Business Bureau for its ratings.
  • Pay with a credit card. This may be the best way to protect your money when buying online, regardless of the site.  If something happens and you don’t receive your purchases, or if they aren’t as advertised, you can contact your credit card issuer to dispute the charges if.

Online shopping is often very convenient, and it can be a way to get items that aren’t readily available locally.  But, there’s no question scam sites are a growing issue.  But, scammers are successful because they rely on unsuspecting victims.  Arming yourself with the information and tools to avoid scams or low-quality product knock-offs will help keep you from being disappointed or losing money.

Tired of Annoying Sales Calls? Here’s How to Stop Them

By Celeste Lohrenz

If you were stuck at home for the past several months, like many of us, you may have noticed a lot of calls between 8am and 9pm.  Those are the hours when legitimate telemarketers are allowed to place their marketing and sales calls.  Normally, you would have just deleted them from your answering machine, but if you’ve been at home, you probably became much more aware of them.

The calls might come from any number of businesses looking to sell you their products and services.  They might be companies you have done business with in the past, or others that have acquired phone lists from another organization.  Regardless, they can become annoying quickly, and you’re not alone in feeling that way.  Unwanted calls are the top consumer complaint the FCC receives.

The good news is you can significantly reduce those solicitations by signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry.  Basically, the Registry is a listing of phone numbers that legitimate marketers may not call, so adding your phone numbers should help get rid of at least some of those calls.  With mobile numbers also starting to get into the marketing cycle a lot more, you can also add your cell phone to the list.

You probably can’t eliminate them all, though.  Companies you’ve done business with in the past 18 months, or have requested information from, are still allowed to call you.  But, you can always ask to be put on their internal Do Not Call list, which should do the trick.  There are, however, other exceptions, too.

  • Emergency notifications (like the COVID-19 updates you have gotten)
  • Political calls (which are likely to increase in the months leading up to the presidential election)
  • Charities
  • Debt collections
  • Surveys
  • Purely informational calls

The difference is that these organizations are not selling products or services, and are exempt from the Registry because they rely on phone calls to make sure information gets to people or to collect data or research.  As with other businesses, though, you can always request most of these organizations put you on their own Do Not Call lists.

You can sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry online or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the number you want to register.  Your phone number will usually be added to the Registry the next day, but it might take up to a month for sales and marketing calls to stop, because companies are only required to check the Registry and update their records every 31 days.  But, once you are on the Registry, your number won’t be removed unless you request it.

The bottom line is that, while you can’t eliminate all inbound calls from unknown sources,  you can significantly reduce them.

Saving Money Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult

By Cortney Meng

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a financial mess for many people.  Some were laid off, others were furloughed or had shifts reduced, and college students had a hard time finding sources of summer income.  Nearly 70% of American household incomes have been impacted.

The disruption has caused millions of people to dip into their savings accounts, emergency funds, and even retirement savings to manage during the pandemic.  Others have built up credit card debt or have taken out personal loans.  The situation has caused people to rethink their finances, with three-quarters of Americans saying they plan to either save more money in general or put more towards their emergency funds.

That’s not always easy, but personal savings apps like Plinqit – by HTMA Mobile Apps – can help.  With Plinqit, you simply set up your account, define your savings goals and a schedule for making deposits to the account.  Because the Plinqit account is linked to your checking account, there’s not additional effort needed, and Plinqit accounts are FDIC insured, so there is no risk.

The idea is that Plinqit will help eliminate the challenges with saving, including simply remembering to add to your emergency or other savings accounts.  Depending on your goals and means, you can select to add to your Plinqit savings on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, and you can define the amount that is deposited.

You can check on you progress through the app at any time to see how you’re progressing towards your goals.  You can even set up to five separate saving goals at once.

Plinqit is free to use, though  you may want to add a “break the safe” penalty for withdrawing funds before you reach your goals to help discourage dipping into the account.  But, maybe best of all, when you achieve your goals, you will be rewarded with an additional amount.  You may also earn additional savings by referring others to Plinqit, or by using the Plinqit tool-builder that will help you learn even more about saving money.

There’s never a bad time to start saving, but now may be just a little better.  The Milford Bank is currently offering a $25 savings bonus for singing up an achieving a savings goal through Plinqit.  The thing with saving is that every little bit helps, and small amounts add up to significant savings quickly.  And it works – Plinqit users have saved more than $1 million since the service was launched last year.

Whether you’re replenishing your emergency fund or just starting one, trying to pay back a loan, or have a wedding or other expense in the future,start saving now so you won’t have to worry when you need the extra money.

Sign up at milfordbank.plinqit.com by August 15th and get a $25 bonus upon completion of your primary goal!

As Digital Banking Grows, Local Banks Still Have the Edge

It’s not surprising to see the use of digital financial tools have increased over the past three months, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online shopping saw a sharp increase with most stores limited to curbside pickup, but digital banking also saw growth. In fact, the U.S. saw a 60% increase in people installing digital banking apps as their local branches were closed.

The surge in usage includes new digital users who had previously never enrolled in online or mobile banking, as well as existing digital customers – almost half of whom say they are now using digital services more frequently. But, despite living in a connected world, customer satisfaction with digital banking isn’t as high as it should be, particularly with larger regional and national banks.

The reason is simple. Despite having a broader geographic reach, larger banks have a hard time competing with local banks on service quality and personalization. The same advantages local banks have in their offices extend into the digital world, creating better experiences and service continuity.

Lower fees and rates – Local banks tend to offer lower rates and fewer fees than larger banks, whether banking is done in-person or online.

Service availability – While large banks often promote having more services, most local banks offer the same services today, including digital and online banking, and are able to more easily adapt their services to their local customers. Local banks are also more likely to offer innovative solutions to help customers achieve their financial goals, such as personal savings apps like Plinqit. One of the biggest drivers of digital customer satisfaction is the availability of P2P payment apps, with Zelle having the greatest positive impact.

Customer service – Local banks have intimate knowledge of their communities and pride themselves on building relationships with customers. As a result, they typically offer more personalized service, including when customers need help with digital banking services. As with any digital services, customers are bound to have questions about setting up services and learning how to use them effectively. Local bank representatives are well positioned to provide the answers.

Local knowledge – Because of their understanding of local demographics, trends, and needs, local banks are more easily able to customize their services to meet customers’ needs. They also work closely with other local organizations to support economic and social growth in the community. Larger banks typically offer exactly the same menu of services to their customers, regardless of location or individual needs.

Now that bank offices are starting to re-open, many customers may go back their traditional in-person banking patterns and enjoy the relationships they have built over the years. But, when they have a need, the digital services and customer support local banks are able to offer will make it easy to move back and forth between digital and in-person banking, as circumstances dictate. To learn more about all the digital services The Milford Bank offers, contact a us to speak with a banking specialist.