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Your financial safety is at the top of our list of priorities. That's why we make sure to alert you of the latest phone, text, or email scams. Check our website and this page frequently to stay on top of the latest scams. We are committed to helping you keep your data and your money safe and secure

Always Practice Caution

Whether it's an email, a text, or a phone call always err on the side of caution - even if it looks like a communication from US.

DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments in a text or email.
DO NOT PROVIDE any personal private information including debit card information.
DO NOT call the number provided in the email or text.
If you are concerned that the communication may be legitimate, go to the website directly by typing it into your browser or contact the organization using a phone number you know to be correct.

Ulster Savings WILL NEVER TEXT you with a request to click on a link to verify a transaction.
Ulster Savings WILL NEVER EMAIL you with a request to click on a link to verify a transaction.
Ulster Savings WILL NEVER CALL you to ask you for any part of your debit card number.
Please be diligent with your personal information.

More Tips Top Scams of 2024

Phone Scam

We have become aware of scammers impersonating bank security or fraud department employees in an attempt to scare their targets by claiming that their deposits are at risk. These scammers are suggesting that bank employees may be stealing money and for the targets protection, they need to transfer funds, put cash in the mail, or purchase gift cards.

As a reminder, scammers are able to change what appears on caller ID. Just because a call says it's coming from US, does not mean it is. As a precaution, if you receive a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be from Ulster Savings Bank, hang up, and call a number you KNOW is correct.

Ulster Savings will NEVER instruct you to purchase gift cards
Ulster Savings will NEVER instruct you to withdraw cash to be put in the mail
Ulster Savings will NEVER instruct you to transfer or wire funds
Ulster Savings will NEVER request online banking credentials (username/password)
Ulster Savings will NEVER request PINs
Ulster Savings will NEVER ask for verification codes sent through text message

NYS Tax Department Refund Text/Email Scam

Beware of tax scams during tax season. New York State's tax employees will NEVER request or discuss your personal or tax information using email, text, or social media. DO NOT CLICK on any links from an email or text claiming to be from a government agency requesting personal information.

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DocuSign PayPal Phishing Email

A DocuSign PayPal scam email is a phishing email that appears to be from DocuSign but is designed to trick you into providing your PayPal login details by claiming you need to sign a document related to a PayPal payment. There is a fake urgency to click a malicious link and provide sensitive information. The scam email may ask you to provide your PayPal login details, credit card information, or other sensitive data to "complete the transaction." Always be cautious of any email that asks you to click on a link to sign a document related to a payment, especially if it seems unexpected or the sender's address looks slightly off.

Please be aware that this type of scam is not limited to PayPal and can occur with other online payment services such as Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App.

Example of the top half of the fraudulent DocuSign PayPal phishing email:

Example of the bottom half of the fraudulent DocuSign PayPal phishing email:

Fraud Prevention Portal

Unpaid Toll Text Scam

New York consumers are being warned about E-ZPass text message scams. Consumers have reported receiving SMS text messages attempting to collect tolls. These fake texts are often sent from an international number and request the consumer to reply with "Y" to receive a link and contain an unofficial website. Consumers should be aware that E-ZPass or Tolls by Mail WILL NEVER send a text or email requesting sensitive personal information such as credit card, birthday, Social Security number or other personally identifiable information.

Smishing Alert infographics courtesy of New York State Thruway Authority at thruway.ny.gov.

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Protect Yourself

Your best form of defense against scammers is you. Education and due diligence are the best course of action. Here are some tips.

Suspicious sender address: Check the email address carefully, as scammers often use slightly altered domain names to mimic legitimate organizations.
Urgency tactics: The email may use phrases like "immediate action required" or "urgent payment pending" to pressure you into clicking links without thinking.
Generic greetings: Legitimate emails will usually address you by name, while scams may use generic greetings like "Dear User".
Suspicious links: Hover your mouse over any links in the email to see the actual destination URL; if it looks different from a genuine website, it's likely a scam.
Do not click on any links: Never click on links in suspicious emails.

Request for sensitive information: The scam email may ask you to provide your login details, credit card information, or other sensitive data to "complete the transaction."
Report the email: Forward the suspicious email to the appropriate phishing reporting address of the legitimate website of the organization.
Check your accounts: Log in to your accounts directly through the official websites to check for any unauthorized activity.
Change your passwords: If you are concerned that you may have provided sensitive information, consider changing your passwords on both platforms.

Learn More About Staying Safe

24/7 Debit Card Support: 866-440-0392
Calls from 800-262-2024 are from our fraud monitoring provider Enfact.