C. Oregonians Urged To Check Bank Accounts

Now more than ever, Central Oregonians are keeping an eye on their accounts, looking for suspicious activity. Those who don’t frequently check their statements are finding they’ve become victims, too.

It was not your typical Thursday morning, for Kathy Davis of Bend.

Among her errands was an unplanned visit to the bank, then to the police station, after finding someone had recently taken money from her checking account. She’d checked after hearing about the growing number of debit card account thefts in the area.

“I can’t believe this happened, not to me,” Davis said. “I called the bank to check on my account, and the lady said, ‘You’re overdrawn’ — and it was unbelievable — and asked if I’ve been to Scottsdale, Ariz., and I said, ‘No’.”

“I have power that’s due, I have my cell phones that are due, and to me, $200 is quite a bit of money,” said Davis.

With the number of credit or debit card fraud cases on the rise every day, officials recommend monitoring your account. Many banks have ways for you to do that, including online or your mobile device.

“Make sure that if you do see something suspicious on your account that you’re notifying your bank immediately,” said Mandy Long, Wells Fargo Bank branch manager on Bend’s Eastside. “That way., we can be proactive about stopping the fraudulent activity.”

Other advice for protecting yourself from fraud:

1. Make sure the computer or mobile device you use to check your accounts is secure.

2. Don’t provide personal information whether its solicited over the phone, email or text messaging.

3. Make sure that you’re shred all personal information, not limited to credit card offers, bank statements, anything that’s coming in the mail and not just throw it in the trash.

The results for a victim are “horrible,” said Davis. “I really hope that these guys are caught and brought to justice, because this is devastating.”

Bank officials say if you’re a victim, don’t just report it to them. Call police, too.

The NewsChannel 21 newsroom also has been getting calls in recent months from Central Oregonians who say they’ve noticed extra charges from gas stations that look suspicious. An official from Polar Bear Gas in Redmond says it’s nothing to worry about.

Some banks will put a temporary flat charge on your credit or debit card, if you ask for a fill-up, since the amount is not known when the card is swiped. It should be removed in a few hours, though that can very from one bank to another.