TEXT or EMAIL from your bank about Fraud or Freezing your account?

Banks sometimes send genuine text or email alerts when they detect suspicious activity or freeze an account, but scammers have learned to mimic those messages to trick you. In 2024 alone, consumers lost over $470 million to smishing (SMS-phishing) scams, and the FBI has warned of a surge in phishing domains impersonating banks, delivery services, and toll agencies. Because these fraudulent messages prey on your sense of urgency, it’s crucial to understand how legitimate bank alerts arrive and how to spot the imposters.

Genuine Country Bank alerts arrive from a short code (for example, 326-11) or a branded sender name like “CNTRYBK.”  We will never ask you to reply with passwords, PINs, or one-time codes, and will always direct you to log in through your banking app or call a known number on your debit card rather than clicking an embedded link. Scammers, by contrast, will spoof sender IDs—sending texts from names like “CountryBk” or “CB Fraud”—and include URLs or long strings of random characters that lead to fake login pages designed to steal your credentials.

These fraudsters often layer multiple tactics to wear you down: they follow up an email with a “reminder” text, then even leave a voicemail impersonating your bank’s fraud department. They use urgent, fear-based language— “Your account is frozen! Click now to restore access”—to get you to act without thinking. Some attach malicious files named “Fraud_Alert.pdf,” which install malware on your device, while others provide a “callback” number that, when dialed, connects you to scammers who record everything you say and coax you into revealing even more personal details.

To stay one step ahead, always pause before you tap. First, check the sender: real bank texts won’t come from random 10-digit phone numbers or look-alike domains. Next, log in using your Mobile App or by typing CountryBank.com directly into your browser—never through links in unsolicited messages. If you’re still unsure, call the number on the back of your debit card or the “Contact Us” page of our website; don’t dial any number provided in the suspicious message.

If you do accidentally click a malicious link or call the wrong number, act quickly. Change your Online Banking password immediately and contact Country Bank’s Fraud Team at 800-322-8233 or visit your nearest banking center. Monitor your accounts closely—set up real-time push alerts in the Mobile App so you see every transaction as it happens—and file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov to help authorities track down the scammers.

Scammers rely on speed and panic; you can beat them with knowledge and a simple verification routine. By understanding how legitimate alerts work, recognizing smishing tactics, and following a clear five-step check (pause, inspect sender, log in safely, call a trusted number, and forward suspicious messages), you’ll keep your information and your money out of the wrong hands. When in doubt, remember: your safest move is always to verify through official channels.

We recommend using our Mobile Banking App and signing up for eStatements to better protect and monitor your information.