Fraudulent Phone & Text Messages

Many Southwest Missouri residents have been receiving phone and text messages in an attempt to illegally obtain their personal information. The perpetrators used several versions of these automated messages. The message directed the recipient of the call to respond by supplying their personal information on a fraudulent website. These fraudulent websites are set up to be similar to our bank website. Empire Bank’s official website is empirebank.com. Any variation of this, such as empirebankservices.com, is fraudulent.

Yet another version of this phone scam requests respondents to input personal information using the key pad on their phone. Again, under no circumstances should one comply with this request. Empire Bank, or any other bank will not solicit your account information in this manner.

Fraudulent E-Mails

A large number of fraudulent emails are also being sent to residents in the Southwest Missouri area. These emails are designed to appear as if they were official notices from Empire Bank. Theses illegal emails were attempts by foreign criminals to obtain personal information from our local residents including their debit and credit card numbers, personal identification and social security numbers. These e-mails were not generated by Empire Bank, any of its affiliates or subsidiaries. Empire Bank will NEVER email you concerning your account information.

Click here for more information on Phishing Scams

How is Empire Bank responding to this illegal activity?

While the Bank and the authorities cannot curb these illegal emails and phone calls into our area immediately, steps are being taken to shut them down as quickly as possible. Often these illegal activities are originating in foreign countries and as a result, it can be a lengthy and complicated process to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. However, as soon as the bank becomes aware of an attack, we immediately begin working closely with the authorities to shut down the illegal websites the perpetrators use to attempt to gather consumer information.

What action should I take if I am contacted by email or by phone?

If you receive an email, text message, or phone call that purports to be from a bank and includes a computer link or directs you to a web site, assume the message is fraudulent. Do not enter any personal information at the site to which the email or phone call directs you.

If you have responded to either an email, text message or phone call and provided personal information, please contact Empire Bank immediately by calling 417-881-3100 and report it. One of our Customer Service Representatives will help protect you from potential monetary losses.

Why did I receive this message?

Criminals attack a community, not a financial institution. You received a phone call, text message, or email because you are located in or around a targeted community. These criminals typically purchase large lists of phone numbers and email addresses in the targeted area and send out massive numbers of fraudulent messages that appear to be from a financial institution (in this case, Empire Bank). These bogus messages will always contain a call to action such as, “your account has been de-activated; you need to respond immediately to reactive your account.”

I am an Empire Bank customer. How do these criminals know I bank there?

They don’t. Empire Bank customer data has never been compromised. The bank will never share or sell your personal information to anyone outside the bank. The lists criminals purchase contain email addressees or phone numbers for an entire geographic area. As a result, they do not know who is a customer of a particular financial institution and who is not.

What other types of scams are out there?

Unfortunately, there are new types of scams occurring virtually every day. To protect yourself, always take the necessary steps to ensure you are communicating with a legitimate party.

If someone calls you on the phone and identifies himself or herself as an “Empire Bank” employee, make certain you are comfortable that they are who they say they are. If you are not certain with whom you are speaking, terminate the conversation. Then call the Bank’s published phone number, 417-881-3100, and ask to speak with the party who has supposedly called you.

If you receive any communication such as an email, regular mail, or a phone call requesting your personal information, immediately call the published phone number of the financial institution to verify the legitimacy of the request.

To ensure that you are visiting our valid Empire Bank website, always type in, “www.empirebank.com” in the address line. This is the only way you can ensure a safe and legitimate connection. Be assured that conducting your banking transactions via the internet is a very safe and convenient way of doing business, as long as you initiate the connection using the bank’s published website address.

We apologize for any inconvenience this illegal activity may have caused our valued customers and other local residents.