The Georgia Bankers Association and its members remind bank consumers to be on the alert for email scams trying to steal account numbers and other personal information. Banks do not ask for such information through emails and links embedded in emails. 

Recent data thefts raise the possibility that criminals may try to trick consumers with emails that look like official communication. Such emails may reference recent news about information thefts as a reason to ask for account numbers and other personal information, or to offer fictitious identity or credit protection services. Here are some tips consumers can use to protect themselves: 

• Banks do not ask for account numbers and other sensitive personal information by email.  
• If you have responded to a suspicious email, contact your bank immediately so it can protect your account and your identity. 
• Never give out your personal or financial information in response to an unsolicited phone call, fax or email, no matter how official it may seem.  
• Do not respond to email that may warn of dire consequences or offer services such as credit monitoring by validating your information immediately through a link in the email. Do not click links provided in such emails. To verify the validity of an email or offer, visit the company’s official website for information or call the company at a phone number you’ve verified through a source other than the email. 
• When submitting financial information online, look for the padlock or key icon at the bottom of your Internet browser. Most secure Internet addresses, though not all, use "https".  
• Check your credit card and bank account statements regularly and look for unauthorized transactions, even small ones. Some thieves hope small transactions will go unnoticed. Report discrepancies immediately.  
• Report suspicious activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.