INTERNET AND MOBILE BANKING CUSTOMER AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK is committed to protecting your personal and financial information. Your identity is one of your most important assets. Staying informed and taking preventive measures can help reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud.

Cybercriminals use increasingly sophisticated tactics, but with education and awareness, you can help prevent unauthorized access to your personal and financial information.

IDENTITY THEFT RISK CONTROL

Understanding the most common identity theft tactics is the first step in protecting yourself. The following outlines key risks and ways you can help mitigate them.

Email Scams (Phishing)

Phishing is when a scammer sends an email pretending to be a trusted organization, trying to trick you into revealing sensitive information.

How to protect yourself:

• Do not respond to unsolicited emails requesting personal or financial information.
• Avoid clicking links in suspicious emails. Instead, type the known website address directly into your browser.
• Do not open email attachments from unknown or untrusted sources.
• Do not call any phone numbers listed in suspicious emails. Instead, verify contact information using a trusted source.

Internet-Based Attacks (Viruses, Spyware, Keyloggers)

These attacks may use malicious software to access or steal your information.

How to protect yourself:

• Install and maintain up-to-date antivirus and anti-spyware software.
• Keep your operating system and applications up to date.
• Download files only from trusted websites.
• Avoid conducting financial transactions on public computers or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

Telephone Scams (Vishing)

Vishing occurs when scammers call pretending to be a legitimate business or bank and ask for personal or financial information.

How to protect yourself:

• Verify the identity of the caller before sharing any information.
• If uncertain, hang up and call the company using a phone number you trust, such as one found on an official website or bank statement.
• Be suspicious of any request for sensitive information made over the phone.

Paper Documents

Shred any personal documents such as bank statements, credit offers, or other items with sensitive information before discarding them.

Monitor Your Accounts

Review your account activity regularly. Report any unauthorized transactions, lost or stolen checks, debit cards, or credit cards immediately. Never store your PIN with your debit or credit cards.

ONLINE AND MOBILE BANKING SECURITY CONTROLS

HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK uses multiple layers of security to help protect your accounts and online activity.

Multi-factor Authentication

When you enroll in online banking, you will be asked to select a private image and passphrase. This image and phrase will be presented to you during login. If the image or phrase does not match your original selection, do not enter your password and contact HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK for assistance.

Device Recognition

If you log in from a personal or frequently used device, a secure identifier ("cookie") may be stored to recognize your device in the future. If logging in from an unrecognized device, you may be prompted to answer security questions before gaining access.

Security Tokens

For additional security, especially for commercial and high-risk users, HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK may provide secure login tokens that generate unique, time-sensitive codes.

UNSOLICITED CUSTOMER CONTACT

HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK will never request your online banking username, password, or other login credentials through an unsolicited phone call, email, or text message.

If you are contacted and asked to provide this information, do not respond or click on any links. Report the incident immediately by calling HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK at (701) 668-2261.

HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK may contact you for purposes such as:

• Confirming suspicious or potentially fraudulent activity
• Notifying you of service disruptions or account changes

Any such communication will clearly identify HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK and will never request your online banking credentials. If you contact us, we may verify your identity using personal information already on file, but we will never ask for your password or security questions.

COMMERCIAL CUSTOMER RISK ASSESSMENT AND CONTROLS EVALUATION

Commercial customers are strongly encouraged to perform regular risk assessments and controls evaluations related to their online banking access and information security practices.

Steps to consider:

• Identify the systems, assets, and information you need to protect.
• Evaluate potential threats and vulnerabilities.
• Review access controls and security measures currently in place.
• Determine the possible impact of a security breach or fraud incident.
• Update or enhance controls to mitigate identified risks.

We recommend working with your IT staff or external cybersecurity professionals to assess your specific needs.

CONTACT US

If you have any questions or need assistance with your online or mobile banking services, please contact us.

Phone: (701) 668-2261

You may also visit your nearest HOMETOWN COMMUNITY BANK branch for in-person assistance.