Arvest Bank has become aware of a Phishing scam directed at our customers.  As a part of this scam, the perpetrators sent an email, crafted to look like it was from Arvest Bank, suggesting that the recipients “Online Services” had been suspended.  Typical of Phishing scams, the email contained a link to a Web site, designed to look like an Arvest Bank Web site, where the recipient was asked to “re-activate” their account by “logging in” and divulging confidential information.

The perpetrators apparently used typical email harvesting techniques to collect the email addresses as the fraudulent messages were also sent to individuals who do not have accounts at Arvest Bank.

If you received an email of this type, please forward it to reportfraud@arvest.com.  If you received the email, and believing it to be authentic, divulged information to the spoofed “Arvest” Web site, please contact your local Arvest Bank immediately.

Phishing scams are still quite common, and come in a variety of forms.  While most are similar to this one, involving a spoofed security alert, others come in the form of customer service surveys and even cell phone text messages.  Please be aware that while most Phishing scams direct you to fake Web sites, others may ask you to call a phone number where an automated phone system prompts you to divulge confidential information.

While it can be difficult to identify spoofed email messages, Web sites, and automated phone systems, it is not difficult to know if any of the above may be related to a fraudulent Phishing scam.  The key is knowing that legitimate businesses do not send messages to customers prompting them to divulge confidential information.  If you receive such a message, no matter how genuine it may appear, assume it to be fraudulent and please notify the legitimate business immediately.

For more information on Phishing scams, identity theft or other helpful information, please visit our Consumer Protection resource center.