Fraud Prevention FAQs

As your trusted financial partner, Busey understands the importance of protecting your personal information. Our robust controls and internal processes continue to evolve as fraudsters’ tactics change, because we are committed to working in partnership with our customers to help minimize risks and stop fraud before it starts.

What should you do if you receive a suspicious email, text, call or social media outreach?

Fraudsters have been known to impersonate employees with financial institutions, utility companies, technology firms, law enforcement and more to gain access to your credentials and/or request a money transfer. They will often use pressure tactics filled with a sense of urgency, as well.

Please keep the following in mind:

Do not provide any personal information.
If the request is coming from someone you know, reach out to them directly at a known contact number to confirm its legitimacy.
Do not reply to the email, click on any links or call any numbers listed in it.
If it is not legitimate, delete the email and block the sender.

If you receive suspicious outreach from someone claiming to be with Busey, do not respond, click/open any links or download/open any attachments. Busey associates will not reach out to you to obtain your credentials, request your password or PIN, or ask for access to your device.

What are some steps you can take if your identity has been compromised?

Contact Busey’s Customer Care team, reach out to your Relationship Manager or visit your local Service Center to place a fraud alert on your account(s).

Change any passwords or PINs immediately and contact any other financial institutions to alert them of the situation. It is also recommended that you contact local law enforcement to file a police report and save a copy with your records.

How can you help protect your personal information?

To enroll in Alerts in Busey eBank:

From the eBank Dashboard, click on your account.
Click the option for Alert Preferences. Users have the option to create different Balance and Transaction alerts that can be delivered by text, email or through an in-app message.

To learn more about Busey eBank, visit our FAQ page.

What are a few additional steps you can take to protect yourself online?

Avoid conducting financial transactions on public, potentially unsecure Wi-Fi networks. Scammers have been known to hijack personal information through public wireless internet networks. When possible, handle online financial matters at home, where your network is secure from unwanted intrusion.
Back up your data. Protect the data on your devices by copying files to an external hard drive or uploading it to cloud storage. If there is company information on your device, make sure this is approved by your employer.
Utilize multi-factor authentication. Multi-factor authentication can prevent scammers from accessing your accounts. However, multi-factor authentication is only for you—be sure to never relay multi-factor authentication codes or PINs over the phone as Busey, or any of our associates, will never request this information from you. Change passwords immediately if you have reason to believe it was compromised. Enable alerts on your accounts.
Update security software on your devices. On most devices, you can set your security software to update automatically to ensure maximum protection.
Ensure browser security. If submitting financial information on a website, look for an indicator that the web address you’re using is encrypted. Secure websites usually have a padlock or key icon at the top or bottom of the browser. You can also check that the web address begins with “https,” which indicates that a particular webpage is secure.

What should you do if your cards or checks are lost or stolen?

If your cards or checks were lost or stolen, visit a local Service Center or contact Busey’s Customer Care team immediately to report the loss. You can also turn off your debit card from your eBank dashboard, scroll down the page to view the Card Management section and select the card you want to turn off. Turn the card off by clicking the slider bar.

What should you do if you notice account activity that is not yours or from an authorized user?

If you notice unauthorized activity on your account(s) that was not performed by you or an authorized user, visit a local Service Center, reach out to your Relationship Manager or Busey’s Customer Care team immediately.

Should you monitor your credit reports?

Yes, monitoring your credit report can help detect warning signs of identity theft, including errors, suspicious activity and accounts or addresses that you do not recognize. Visit annualcreditreport.com to request your free credit reports.

Should you place a fraud alert with the credit reporting companies?

If you think you’ve been the victim of identity theft, you should place a fraud alert on your file online or by mail with the credit reporting companies—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—as soon as possible. More information on how to do so can be found at annualcreditreport.com.

Placing a fraud alert does not affect your credit score. It alerts creditors that you have been a victim of fraud and that they should take extra steps before extending new credit in your name. These extra steps may slow down the approval process for new credit.

How can you learn more about protecting yourself from fraud?

Busey is committed to protecting our customers against fraud and takes every precaution when it comes to securing their personal information. This is especially challenging as technology progresses and the most common tactics of financial scammers become increasingly complex, but our team of experts strives to stay on top of the latest trends in fraud in order to keep you safe and informed.

To stay informed and protect yourself from fraudulent activity, subscribe to our Money Matters blog, where we regularly share tools and resources that will help keep you, your family and your financial future safe.