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Do Something Great Award

President Larry Bennett and Trust Officer Kim Klein shown with the Award

The Gerber State Bank, Trustee of the Phyllis M. Winings Trust, is a recipient of a Macon County Legacy Group 2020 ‘Do Something Great Award’ for Outstanding Professional Partner.  This award honors a business that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to philanthropy by aiding nonprofit organizations and serving our community.    The Macon County Legacy Group has been honoring individuals, companies and volunteers, who are making helpful, constructive impacts in their community, for the past sixteen years.  We are very honored to receive this award on behalf of the Phyllis M. Winings Trust and thank the Argenta-Oreana Fire Department for the nomination. 

 

Since 1980, the Phyllis M. Winings Trust has been providing monetary benefit for qualifying organizations and named churches in her Trust.  If you are a local charitable or governmental organization in the Friends Creek or Whitmore Townships in Macon County and want to learn more about qualifying for a special need project, please click on the Trust link at the top of the page then on the Phyllis Madeline Winings Trust link to learn more.

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Shopping Safely On-Line

Why do online shoppers have to take special precautions?

The internet offers convenience not available from other shopping outlets. You can search for items from multiple vendors, compare prices with a few mouse clicks, and make purchases from your home. However, the internet is also convenient for attackers, giving them multiple ways to access the personal and financial information of unsuspecting shoppers. Attackers who are able to obtain this information may use it for their own financial gain, either by making purchases themselves or by selling the information to someone else.

How do attackers target online shoppers?

There are three common ways that attackers can take advantage of online shoppers:

  • Creating fraudulent sites and email messages – Unlike traditional shopping, where you know that a store is actually the store it claims to be, attackers can create malicious websites or email messages that appear to be legitimate. Attackers may also misrepresent themselves as charities, especially after natural disasters or during holiday seasons. Attackers create these malicious sites and email messages to try to convince you to supply personal and financial information.
  • Intercepting insecure transactions – If a vendor does not use encryption, an attacker may be able to intercept your information as it is transmitted.
  • Targeting vulnerable computers – If you do not take steps to protect your computer from viruses or other malicious code, an attacker may be able to gain access to your computer and all of the information on it. It is also important for vendors to protect their computers to prevent attackers from accessing customer databases.

How can you protect yourself?

  • Do business with reputable vendors – Before providing any personal or financial information, make sure that you are interacting with a reputable, established vendor. Some attackers may try to trick you by creating malicious websites that appear to be legitimate, so you should verify the legitimacy before supplying any information. Attackers may obtain a site certificate for a malicious website to appear more authentic, so review the certificate information, particularly the “issued to” information. Locate and note phone numbers and physical addresses of vendors in case there is a problem with your transaction or your bill.
  • Make sure your information is being encrypted – Many sites use secure sockets layer to encrypt information. Indications that your information will be encrypted include a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that begins with “https:” instead of “http:” and a padlock icon. If the padlock is closed, the information is encrypted. The location of the icon varies by browser; for example, it may be to the right of the address bar or at the bottom of the window. Some attackers try to trick users by adding a fake padlock icon, so make sure that the icon is in the appropriate location for your browser.
  • Be wary of emails requesting information – Attackers may attempt to gather information by sending emails requesting that you confirm purchase or account information.  Legitimate businesses will not solicit this type of information through email. Do not provide sensitive information through email. If you receive an unsolicited email from a business, instead of clicking on the provided link, directly log on to the authentic website by typing the address yourself.
  • Use a credit card – There are laws to limit your liability for fraudulent credit card charges, but you may not have the same level of protection for your debit cards. Additionally, debit cards draw money directly from bank accounts, unauthorized charges could leave you with insufficient funds to pay other bills. You can minimize potential damage by using a single, low-limit credit card to make all of your online purchases. Also, use a credit card when using a payment gateway such as PayPal, Google Wallet, or Apple Pay.
  • Check your shopping app settings – Look for apps that tell you what they do with your data and how they keep it secure. Keep in mind that there is no legal limit on your liability with money stored in a shopping app (or on a gift card). Unless otherwise stated under the terms of service, you are responsible for all charges made through your shopping app.
  • Check your statements – Keep a record of your purchases and copies of confirmation pages, and compare them to your bank statements. If there is a discrepancy, report it immediately. 
  • Check privacy policies – Before providing personal or financial information, check the website’s privacy policy. Make sure you understand how your information will be stored and used. 

Authors

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA

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About The Gerber State Bank

For well over a century, The Gerber State Bank and its employees have been committed to providing exceptional financial services to its customers and loyal support to its communities. Founded in 1887, The Gerber State Bank is one of the oldest independently owned and operated community banks in Macon County with offices in Argenta and Oreana.  For more information, please call 217-795-2331.