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Fraud Prevention

Protecting Our customers is a #1 priority at Century.

From reporting and preventing identity theft and account fraud, to protecting your personal information, Century Bank and Trust stands ready to help.

  • Reporting Identity Theft and Account Fraud 
  • Preventing Online Fraud 
  • Preventing Identity Theft and Account Fraud
  • Debit Card Fraud and Blocked Country List

If you are a Century Bank and Trust card holder and have a lost or stolen card, please call:

ATM Cards and Debit MasterCard®
800-472-3272

VISA® or MasterCard® Credit Cards
800-367-7576

10 Tips to Avoid Becoming a Victim

Watch out for phishing scams.
Phishing scams use fraudulent emails, texts, phone calls and websites to trick users into disclosing private account or login information. Do not click on links or open any attachments or pop-up screens from sources you are not familiar with, and NEVER give your password, account number or PIN to anyone.

Remember that the safest place for your money is in the bank—it’s physically secure and it’s federally insured.
When you deposit your money at a bank, you get the comfort of knowing that your funds are secure and insured by the government. You don’t have the same level of protection when your money is outside the banking system.

Do some research before making a donation.
Be wary of any business, charity or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card or through the mail.

Keep your computers and mobile devices up to date.
Having the latest security software, web browser, and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware and other online threats. Turn on automatic updates so you receive the newest fixes as they become available.

Recognize and avoid bogus website links.
Cyber criminals embed malicious links to download malware onto devices or route users to bogus websites. Hover over suspicious links to view the actual URL that you are being routed to. Fraudulent links are often disguised by simple changes in the URL. For example: ABC-Bank.com vs ABC_Bank.com.

Change your security settings to enable multi-factor authentication for accounts that support it. 
Multi-factor authentication—or MFA—is a second step to verify who you are, like a text with a code.

Before you make any investments, remember that there is a high potential for fraud right now. You should be wary of any company claiming the ability to prevent, detect or cure coronavirus. For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website.
  • Whenever possible, verify a buyer's information with a third party and be cautious about who you accept checks from.
  • If you sell goods or services on the Internet, consider using a third party payment service that can verify payments from buyers, rather than accepting cashier's checks.
  • Never accept cashier's checks for a larger amount than the selling price if the buyer asks you to pay the excess amount to someone else. If the check is fraudulent, you will be at a loss.
  • If you question the authenticity of a cashier's check, call or visit the issuing bank. They will be in a better position to tell you if the check is fraudulent or not.
  • Be wary of taking action before you know that the payment you received has actually cleared your bank account.
  • Steer clear of offers asking you to pay for a "prize", letters offering you large sums of money in exchange for a "processing fee", or anyone who pressures you to act quickly before you have time to verify a good payment.
If you're a victim of identity theft or account fraud, you should call a Century Bank and Trust customer service representative immediately at 517-278-1500 or Toll Free at 888-278-8621.

Call the Toll-Free fraud number of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified to place fraud alerts on your credit report, and all three reports will be sent to you free of charge.

Equifax 800-525-6285 or www.equifax.com
Experian 888-397-3742 or www.experian.com
TransUnion 800-680-7289 or www.transunion.com

Contact your local police and ask to file a report. Even if the police can't catch the identity thief, having a police report can help you in clearing up your credit records later on.

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Call the FTC's identity theft hotline Toll Free at (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338). The hotline is staffed by counselors trained to help victims and take their complaints. You may also file a complaint online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.


Complete the identity theft affidavit, which will assist you in reporting to many companies that a new account has been opened in your name.
On the Web, there are types of criminals called "phishers". These people may send very realistic e-mails pretending to be from Century Bank and Trust or some other organization you know and trust. These e-mails ask the recipient to click on various links to Century Bank and Trust websites. Do not click on the links or respond to the messages. Doing so may cause you to be redirected to a fraudulent site.

Century Bank and Trust will never contact you to request personal information such as Social Security Numbers, account numbers, user ID's, MasterMoney® debit or ATM card numbers, PIN's or passwords via e-mail, telephone or by fax. Do not respond to these requests. These are fraudulent attempts to obtain your information. If you receive such a request, please contact us immediately at 517-278-1504.

Protect Yourself- Never Give Out Your Personal Information!

e-mail Use:
  • Be alert for fraudulent e-mails, even though they appear to be from a reputable source.
  • Delete any e-mail that requests your personal information immediately. Do not respond to it. Reputable businesses never request personal information in an e-mail.
  • Never send your personal information via an unsecured e-mail.
  • Do not open e-mail attachments from unknown or unsolicited senders.
  • Be careful when clicking on a link in an e-mail. Even though it is identical to the actual company's website, it could be fraudulent. To check, open a new browser window and manually type in the URL provided in the e-mail. If they don't match, delete the e-mail with the suspicious link immediately.

Online Security:
  • If you visit a website that is not what it claims to be, leave it immediately.
  • Only do business with companies you know and trust.
  • Watch carefully for imitation web sites that are designed to trick you into giving out personal information.
  • Any sites that you do business with should have privacy and security statements. Read them carefully.
  • Choose passwords or Personal Identification Numbers (PIN's) that are difficult to guess and use a different password for each of your internet accounts. Change these passwords often.
  • Make sure the website is certified with a digital security certificate by clicking on the "closed lock" or "solid key" image located in the bottom bar of your browser window. A small frame with site security information.
We want to make sure our customers are aware of the dangers of identity theft. Identity theft occurs when criminals find a way to steal your personal or other identifying information to access your accounts, open new accounts, apply for credit in your name, make purchases, and commit other fraud related crimes.

The best defense against identity theft is knowledge. The following tips and information will help you prevent identity theft:
  • Debit and Credit Card Tips. Sign debit and credit cards immediately after they arrive.
  • Track credit, debit and ATM receipts and never throw them in a public trash receptacle.
  • Keep an eye on your debit or credit card until the merchant completes your transaction, and make sure you get your card back.
  • Do not keep passwords or ATM PIN's in your wallet, purse, desk or organizer.
Report lost or stolen checks or ATM, debit and credit cards immediately. Review new checks to make sure none were stolen in transit. Be aware of the expiration date on your debit or credit card; if you do not receive a reissued card before the expiration date, notify customer service.

Monitor your accounts for unauthorized use. Online banking makes it easy to review your transactions online daily.

Check your credit reports. Century Bank and Trust recommends that you periodically check your credit report. You can obtain a copy of your credit report at any time from one of the three major credit bureaus:


Pay attention to your billing and account statement cycles. If regular bills or statements stop arriving in the mail, take action. Call the company's customer service number. Someone may have filed a false change-of-address notice to divert your mail.

Guard your mail from theft. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office rather than in an unsecured mailbox. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox. If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service at 800-275-8777 to request a vacation hold.

Be alert for e-mail hoaxes and suspicious phone inquiries. These may appear to come from a trusted business or friend but actually are designed to trick you into providing sensitive information. Don't provide personal or financial information to anyone unless you initiated the contact.

Century Bank and Trust will never contact you to request personal information such as Social Security Numbers, account numbers, user ID's, MasterMoney debit or ATM card numbers, PIN's or passwords via e-mail, phone or by fax. Do not respond to these attempts to obtain your personal information. If you have received such a request, please contact a Century Bank and Trust customer service representative immediately at 517-278-1500 or Toll Free at 888-278-8621.
  • Protect your Social Security Number. Don't list it on your checks or carry your Social Security Number card unless you need it. Give your Social Security Number only when absolutely necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible.
  • Shred unnecessary financial documents, including old bank statements, invoices, charge receipts, checks, unwanted pre-approved credit offers, and expired charge cards before disposing of them.
  • Choose unique passwords to access your accounts online. Don't use any part of your Social Security Number, birth date, middle name, names of spouses, children or pets, consecutive numbers or anything else that a thief could easily discover. Choose passwords that are difficult for others to guess and use a different password for each of your online accounts. Use both letters and numbers. Do not share your ID's or passwords with anyone.
Protecting customers from fraud is a #1 priority at Century Bank and Trust. Due to high incidents of debit card fraud, some countries maybe blocked for Century Bank and Trust debit card holders. These countries are closely monitored and blocks are implemented only when the risk of potential fraud outweighs the benefit of purchase ability. 

If you plan on traveling out of the country or need to make a purchase internationally, please contact Century Bank and Trust's Card Services Department during normal business hours by calling Toll Free (866) 680-2265. Please have ready the dates you will be traveling or potentially making your purchase(s). Upon verification of your identity, the block will be temporary lifted.

1. Scammers PRETEND to be from an organization you know.

Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of the government. They might use a real name, like the FTC, Social Security Administration, IRS, or Medicare, or make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from a business you know, like a utility company, a tech company, or even a charity asking for donations.

They use technology to change the phone number that appears on your caller ID. So the name and number you see might not be real.

2. Scammers say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE.

They might say you’re in trouble with the government. Or you owe money. Or someone in your family had an emergency. Or that there’s a virus on your computer.

Some scammers say there’s a problem with one of your accounts and that you need to verify some information.

Others will lie and say you won money in a lottery or sweepstakes but have to pay a fee to get it.

3. Scammers PRESSURE you to act immediately.

Scammers want you to act before you have time to think. If you’re on the phone, they might tell you not to hang up so you can’t check out their story.

They might threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver’s or business license, or deport you. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.

4. Scammers tell you to PAY in a specific way.

They often insist that you can only pay by using cryptocurrency, wiring money through a company like MoneyGram or Western Union, using a payment app, or putting money on a gift card and then giving them the numbers on the back of the card.

Some will send you a check (that will later turn out to be fake), then tell you to deposit it and send them money.

Block unwanted calls and text messages. Take steps to block unwanted calls and to filter unwanted text messages.

Don’t give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect. Honest organizations won’t call, email, or text to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers.

If you get an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Instead, contact them using a website you know is trustworthy. Or look up their phone number. Don’t call a number they gave you or the number from your caller ID.

Resist the pressure to act immediately. Honest businesses will give you time to make a decision. Anyone who pressures you to pay or give them your personal information is a scammer.

Know how scammers tell you to pay. Never pay someone who insists that you can only pay with cryptocurrency, a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram, a payment app, or a gift card. And never deposit a check and send money back to someone.

Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell someone — a friend, a family member, a neighbor — what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.

If you were scammed or think you saw a scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.


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