Keep your information secure.
We work hard to ensure the safety of your finances. With a few helpful tips, you can add an extra layer of protection to your accounts.
Let’s work together to prevent fraud.
Fraud continues to impact businesses and individuals at staggering rates worldwide, from payment fraud to credit card theft, email threats, check scams, and more. Bad actors are getting more sophisticated with their efforts every day. That’s why it’s important to learn how to protect yourself and your business accounts.
Below are some helpful tips on how you can keep yourself safe.
-
Active monitoring
Check all your active accounts regularly and be on the lookout for suspicious activity. Contact your bank, vendor, or creditor immediately if you notice an unknown charge or invoice discrepancy. The quicker you act, the easier it can be to resolve the issue. Any time there is a change in payment instructions, businesses must implement physical callbacks to verify legitimacy.
-
Password protection
One of the best ways to keep your accounts secure is to change passwords regularly. Use complex combinations that are not easily guessable, and never keep copies of passwords written down. Password management tools like LastPass can securely store sensitive information.
-
Proactive training
Educate yourself, employees, and community members on identifying threats. Know the methods scammers often use, including email and website spoofing, phishing, ransomware, and malware. You can learn more about scams by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
-
Positive Pay
Checks and wire transfers are payment methods most impacted by fraudulent activity. One of the best ways to prevent check fraud is to use Positive Pay. See below for more details.
-
IT security measures to implement
• Install antivirus software, email filtering, and network firewalls
• Never open unfamiliar attachments or emails from any suspicious-looking senders
• Educate your employees on IT security and provide training on typical fraud attempts
• Create a plan of action for future incident responses
• Have a contingency plan if systems are down
checks are forged annually in
the United States
of companies were targets of
payment fraud in 2020
of businesses experienced
ACH debit fraud in 2020
of all fraud attempts come
from checks
Sources: AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey, 2020 Identity Fraud Study, Javelin Strategy & Research, Ernest and Young, and the National Check Fraud Center
Positive Pay
With Positive Pay, a proactive warning system detects checking fraud and alerts you of suspicious activity.
How it works
Businesses may provide a list of names with the corresponding dollar amounts and other details in advance to their bank. Once a check or ACH transfer is presented for a deposit, the bank will cross-examine that deposit with the list provided by the business owner. Deposits that don’t match up will be rejected.
Features
• Multiple user access tiers
• Analytics
• Single sign-on option
• Check image integration allows the client to view images of potential fraud
• Easily report fraud through your online account
To learn more about Positive Pay, please contact Horizon’s treasury team by sending an email to [email protected]