Staying a Step Ahead – How 1st State Bank Helps Protect You from Fraud

At 1st State Bank, we believe that protecting your business means more than offering great products and service, it means working together to prevent fraud before it happens. We encourage all customers to be proactive in safeguarding their information, but you can rest assured that we’re doing our part behind the scenes, every day.

1^st State Bank uses a layered approach to detect, deter, and respond to potential fraud. These systems quietly monitor transactions, alert our staff to suspicious activity, and help verify legitimate customer actions without slowing you down. Here’s a look at how we stay one step ahead:

• ACH and Check Protection – We provide secure tools within Digital Banking that help businesses monitor outgoing ACH payments and check activity. Customers can upload check files, apply filters, and quickly review any items flagged for decision.
• Debit and Credit Card Monitoring – Our fraud-alert systems analyze card transactions in real time to detect unusual activity. If something looks suspicious, you’ll receive an alert first, and if confirmation isn’t received, our team follows up promptly to verify the transaction.
• Transaction Authentication – We utilize secure verification technology to confirm that online debit card purchases are being made by authorized users. Any questionable transactions are promptly reviewed and verified with the cardholder.
• Real-Time Fraud Rules – Our fraud-monitoring tools allow us to block transactions from certain merchants, countries, or categories if a potential threat is detected, reducing exposure to credit card fraud.
• Suspicious Activity Alerts – Our systems continuously analyze wire, ACH, and debit activity for anomalies. Alerts are reviewed by our team to confirm whether activity is legitimate or potentially fraudulent.
• Digital Banking Anomaly Detection – When customers log in to Digital Banking, a risk-based scoring system evaluates certain actions, such as creating a new ACH batch or wire transfer. High-risk activity triggers a behind-the-scenes review to help prevent account takeovers — all without disrupting valid transactions.
• Check Fraud Detection – Our systems monitor check serial sequences and transaction data to identify inconsistencies or potential fraud, whether a check is deposited in person or clears through another institution.
• Dark Web Monitoring – We partner with cybersecurity experts who scan the dark and deep web for signs of compromised data such as credit and debit card information, counterfeit websites, or exposed credentials. When anything connected to our bank or customers is discovered, it’s immediately investigated and addressed.

Every safeguard we put in place is designed to protect our customers and their businesses without adding unnecessary friction to their day-to-day operations.

How You Can Help

Fraud prevention works best when we work together. Keep your passwords secure, stay alert to fraud-related notices and messages in Online Banking, and review your accounts regularly, and contact us immediately if you notice any suspicious activity. Together, we can stay ahead of fraud and keep your business safe.