SJBiz_OfficeSpace_1119_Layout 1 11 / 18 / 19 2 : 46 PM Page 3 How consumers can protect themselves from fraud When it comes to email phishing , never click on anything that seems the least bit questionable . In some cases , phishing Joe Tredinnick attempts are high - quality , senior vice president / such as encouraging you market president to confirm an iTunes in - app REPUBLIC BANK purchase or fix your deacti - vated PayPal account . Falling victim to these schemes allows hackers to place keyboard loggers or other malware on your device . That said , if you are careful , these situations can be avoided . Common sense should always be the first line of defense . To protect your information , change your passwords frequently . There are pass - word keeper apps to help you keep track of various logins . You should consistently review bank and credit card statements to ensure transactions are accurate . If anything doesn’t look right , contact your bank or credit card provider immediately . Safety and security when making purchases via mobile devices If you use a wallet like Apple or Samsung , they create unique transaction IDs for each transaction , similar to chip cards , so they are very secure . In the remote possibility that you do have an issue , you are protected by a $ 0 liability . Republic Bank expanded its online banking solutions We are consistently expanding our online banking solutions while also ensuring that they are completely secure . We prioritize improving our information security and fraud tools , since the hacker world is always evolving . For example , we just rolled out a new mobile application with dual factor authentication . Chip cards help reduce counterfeit fraud Each transaction completed with a chip card creates dynamic , unique data for each transaction , unlike the static information that is contained on the magnetic strip on non - chip cards . Once a hacker or fraudster gets your magnetic strip data , they can create additional cards to perpetuate fraud . What to be aware of regarding check fraud scams Counterfeit checks can look real , making it hard for consumers or bank employees to detect . Often , the fraudster will coerce the consumer to cash or deposit the counterfeit check and then ask that all or part of the proceeds be sent back before the bank attempts to process the check . The fraudster may ask for the funds to be returned in cash , personal check , gift card or through electronic means , such as a wire transfer , automated clearing house payment or a person - to - person transaction . If it is later determined that the check was counter - feit , the consumer will likely be held responsible for the funds provided to the fraudster . Thus , recognizing the signs of a counterfeit check is imperative in order to protect yourself . SouthJerseyBiz.net | VOLUME 9 ISSUE 11 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | 15