Bank News

Boost Morale — and Your Bottom Line

It may sound cliché, but a happy workplace is a productive workplace. It comes as no surprise that employees who enjoy their jobs will work harder, ultimately impacting a business where it matters most — the bottom line.

Of course, one of the best ways to boost morale is to provide financial compensation. However, for many companies operating in today's competitive business climate, that's not possible. Rest assured, however, there are some easy ways to give your employees a lift without significantly lifting your expenses:
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Identity Theft Today – A Constantly Changing Landscape
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by Marianne Cederlind 
Executive Vice President & Chief Business Banking Officer
Mission Valley Bank
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As cyber criminals get craftier, individuals need to arm themselves with facts on identity theft and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.

Mobile phones and social media are the new frontier -- Fraudsters are expected to introduce as many as 1,000 different phone/social media scams this year, according to one expert. In fact, a social media identity may be more valuable to cyber criminals than credit cards since it offers them the opportunity to manipulate friends. Safety tip: Keep smart phone operating systems up-to-date. Use passwords to gain access to your phone and install apps that enable remote deletion of phone data if it is lost or stolen.
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The Importance of a Job Description

Employees deserve to know what is expected of them and how they will be evaluated. A clear and up-to-date job description addresses this expectation while providing a basis for employee performance reviews, salary increases and career development. A job description also forces management to define goals and expectations that are companywide, and determine how to implement them through the employee channel. Using job descriptions is part of good management. Read on to learn about writing or updating a job description.

Components of a Job Description
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FAKE EMAILS COULD COST YOU THOUSANDS

Think you got an email from a business you know? Scammers sometimes use emails that look legit to trick you into sending money to them. The email might say it’s from a real estate professional you’re working with, telling you there’s a last-minute change and you should now wire your closing costs to a different account. Or it could seem to be an email – with an invoice – from your utility company, telling you to wire payment. Whatever the story, if you wire that money, it goes to the scammer – and you may never see your money again. These scammers might get your information by hacking into a business. Once they know about you, they send an email that seems to come from the business, telling you where to send money. So, how can you spot these scams?
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Cyber Security is a Shared Responsibility
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by Marianne Cederlind
Executive Vice President and Chief Business Banking Officer / Mission Valley Bank
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A recent article written by the Independent Community Bankers Association provided the reminder that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warns to never give sensitive information to anyone unless you are sure they are who they claim to be and that they should have access to the information. It’s every business owner’s worst fear that they could be the next target.
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Business Travelers Beware!

Courtesy of CYBERHEISTNEWS
There is a new spin on an existing phishing scam you need to be aware of. Bad guys are doing research on you personally using social media and find out where and when you (might) travel for business. Next, they craft an email especially for you with an airline reservation or receipt that looks just like the real thing, sent with a spoofed "From" email address that also looks legit.
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Merchant Bankcard Conversions Less Costly Than the Alternative

As financial institutions scrambled to issue EMV cards – short for Europay, MasterCard, and Visa chip technology -- to replace the standard magnetic technology, merchants prepared for the conversion. Merchants without an EMV-ready terminal in place now take on the full financial responsibility and risk in the event a chargeback occurs.

A chargeback can transpire in multiple ways: a dissatisfied customer calls their bank to refute either a product or service received from a merchant, a lost or stolen credit/debit card resulting in a fraudulent purchase, or perhaps a reversal of an unauthorized purchase due to identity theft.
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Stopping Unsolicited Mail, Phone Calls, and Email -- Advice from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission

Tired of having your mailbox crammed with unsolicited mail, including preapproved credit card applications? Fed up with getting telemarketing calls just as you're sitting down to dinner? Fuming that your email inbox is chock-full of unsolicited advertising? The good news is that you can cut down on the number of unsolicited mailings, calls, and emails you receive by learning where to go to "just say no."

If you decide that you don't want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently.
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Take Control of Your Money Online

Ever wonder how you can keep better track of your spending? Save money more easily? Bank more efficiently? Eliminate late-fee charges on your bills?

The solution for all of that is in your hands — with Online Banking. While most of us frequently use Online Banking -- we're not taking advantage of all of the benefits it can provide.

These services give you the power to connect with your money anytime, anywhere, and offer tools and features to help you control your money more easily than ever before. You can:
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