Protecting Yourself from Data Breaches

Protecting Yourself from Data Breaches

Written by Nathan Woolard

The term gets thrown around a lot, but what exactly is a data breach?  Put simply, a data breach is the exposure of confidential or protected information, which may include personal data such as Social Security numbers, bank account or credit card numbers, health records, emails, or passwords.  These incidents can vary in nature; one breach may be intentionally instigated by a hacker accessing a company database, while another could be the result of a company employee accidentally exposing customer information online.  Regardless, a breach means that personal data has been compromised in a manner that could allow criminals to access it directly, and in recent times these events have become more common than ever.  In 2019 alone, major companies including Capital One, Facebook, Instagram, and Sprint have all suffered notable data breaches.

If your Success Bank account or credit card numbers are compromised during a breach, criminals may still need further personal information in order to access your account or card.  Subsequently, they may attempt to gain this necessary information by posing as a Success Bank employee and contacting you via call, text, or email.  Any text from Success Bank will come from the number 37268 and will never contain a link for you to click on; do not reply to any message from a different number and do not click on any included links.  If you receive a call which claims to be from Success Bank and asks you to verify a transaction, you should not be required to provide any information beyond your zip code and a yes-or-no confirmation for the transaction in question.  Success Bank will never ask for your PIN number or for the three-digit CV2 code on the back of your card.

The best defense against fraudulent use is to routinely monitor your account online to ensure that no unusual transactions have been recorded, especially if you have received any suspicious phone or email messages.  If you are unsure that a text or email is legitimate, do not reply; if you are unsure that a call is legitimate, hang up!  Then call Success Bank directly at 641-664-BANK.  Following these easy tips should greatly improve your ability to protect yourself against data breaches and their aftermath.