FRAUD ALERT:

A group of counterfeit Cashier's Checks bearing the Milford Bank name are being distributed.  This batch of checks are for $2,850 and are being sent by a company called "Global Market Consultants".  This scam is a "mystery shopper" program were the person is encouraged to "shop" a company like Walmart and wire money through their Money Gram counter. The Milford Bank will not honor these checks.

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AN IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OUR DEBIT CARD CUSTOMERS

You may have recently heard about a significant data breach disclosed by Heartland Payment Systems. Heartland Payment Systems, the sixth-largest payments processor in the United States, announced its processing systems were breached in 2009, exposing an undetermined number of consumers to potential fraud. Heartland Payment Systems has asserted no merchant data or cardholder Social Security Numbers, unencrypted Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), addresses or telephone numbers were involved in the breach. The breach occurred when unknown intruders broke into Heartland's systems sometime last year and planted malicious software to steal card data carried on the company's networks. Heartland reports the intrusion has been contained and additional steps have been taken to secure their systems. Heartland believes the intrusion may have been a result of a widespread global cyber fraud operation.

Recent events suggest criminals are increasingly targeting payment processors and data breaches will become more frequent. Ensuring your account security is a top priority for us. Working together, we can help keep your information safer. You can do your part by keeping in mind the following safeguards:

Check your account activity against the monthly statements we mail to you. If you have online access, check your account activity as often as you'd like. Please notify us immediately if you have any suspicions that something is not quite right.

Never provide account numbers or other personal financial information unless you can validate the authenticity of the requester.

Always shred personal and financial information before discarding it.

We are committed to protecting you and the confidential data you entrust us with. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at (203) 783-5700.

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 SCAM ALERT

"Phishing" scams are not just limited to the Internet. The ABA has recently become aware of a scheme using the "American Bankers Association" name that is intended to trick the unwary into disclosing confidential security information related to their savings and checking accounts. The "phish" works like this; an advertisement is placed in a local newspaper seeking to hire survey takers to "evaluate" local banks. Those who apply to the position are sent a package of papers from the "American Bankers Association" that includes a list of bank branches and a very elaborate survey. The survey takers are instructed to go to their assigned bank, open an account with their own money, and then forward the survey, account information and security information to an address in South Carolina. Any individual who complies with the instructions will quickly lose any money that they deposit into that account.

The ABA is in no way affiliated with this bogus "survey." While they are unaware of any individuals who have actually experienced a loss as a result of this scam, the ABA is working with law enforcement officials to track down the individuals behind the attempted fraud.