American National Bank News Updates

Brad Rex with Ginger Martin, President and CEO of ANB

Brad Rex, author of “The Surpassing Life.  52 Practical Ways to Achieve Personal Excellence” and motivational speaker, addressed the ANB team on Thursday, June 21st.  He discussed his life experiences as well as the 4 C’s of life: competence, commitment, character, and compassion.

To spotlight June 15^th “World Elder Abuse Awareness Day” American National Bank is offering tips on how to identify and prevent elder financial abuse.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, seniors throughout the United States lose an estimated $2.6 billion or more annually due to elder financial abuse and exploitation.  

American National Bank offers the following tips to our elder consumers:

• Never give your Social Security number, account numbers or other personal financial information over the phone unless you initiated the call.
• Don’t open e-mails from unknown sources, and beware of any notice claiming you have won a lottery.
• Shred receipts, bank statements and unused credit card offers before throwing them away.
• Review your monthly accounts regularly for any unauthorized charges.  Report lost or stolen checks immediately.
• Order copies of your credit report once a year to ensure accuracy.
• Lock up your checkbook, account statements and other sensitive information when others will be in your home.
• Do business with companies you know are reputable, or first check their references and credentials.  Beware of any home improvement contractor that comes to your door or tries to sell you services over the phone.
• If a stranger needs to send you payment for something, insist on a check for the exact amount.  Never accept a check for more and wire the difference back.
• Never let someone pressure you into agreeing to loan terms before you’ve had a chance to review them in writing with a trusted adviser.
• Report any unusual account inquires you receive—whether by phone or e-mail—to your banker, who will take measures to protect your account and notify authorities.
• Carefully choose trustworthy people to act as your agent in all estate-planning matters.
• Talk to your local banker about any financial needs, concerns or questions.

Interest rates are historically low. Ginger Martin, President and CEO of ANB tells you how to take advantage of the situation http://t.co/0yvjf8hB

With the kickoff of summer just around the corner and many Americans planning to hit the road or the skies for their much-anticipated summer vacation, American National Bank wants consumers to have the information they need before they leave home to keep their money safe.

Financial professionals agree that the safest and most convenient way to travel with your money is to take a small amount of cash with you. It’s also a good idea to carry a debit, credit or ATM card. These cards are convenient while traveling because they are easy to carry, easy to use and often offer the lowest fees and the best exchange rates.

However, travelers still need to plan ahead to be prepared. To help, American National Bank offers these tips to consumers about what they need to take care of before they take off:

• Let your bank know when and where you will be traveling to avoid account holds or transaction rejections when out-of-the-ordinary transactions are presented for processing or posted.
• If you’re traveling overseas, keep in mind that ATMs in many countries only accept four-digit personal identification numbers (PINs) and some countries have keyboards with numbers only, while others do not acknowledge zeros. Ask your bank if you should create a new PIN for your account before you take your trip.
• Carry a back-up card that you keep in a separate place. Families or couples may get even greater back-up coverage if each person takes a different card.
• Make copies of all the cards you’ll be carrying. Be sure to copy the front and back of the card. Take a copy with you and give a copy to someone you trust back home. Be sure to also include the security code for the card and the customer service phone number.
• Set up transaction alerts for credit and debit cards. This will allow you to be informed much faster of any transactions that occur on your cards and shut down fraudulent activity.
• Bring a list of emergency phone numbers, but remember, 800 numbers can only be used in the United States and Canada. Be sure to get a number for your bank that you can call if you’re out of the country.
• Many credit cards provide travel accident insurance and traveler’s assistance. Ask your community bank what special services are available through your card.
• Check your balance before you leave. Know the limits on how much you can withdraw. Save all your receipts.
• Thoroughly check any ATMs that you use; fraudsters are increasingly altering the facades of ATMs in an effort to capture card data.  Ensure the card reader does not look tampered with and pull on it to ensure it’s not a layover.

In the event that something unfortunate does happen, your bankers are always just a phone call away and ready and able to help .

For more information about what to do if you your card is lost or stolen or if you need additional help, visit http://usa.visa.com/personal/using_visa/travel_with_visa.html or http://www.mastercard.us/support/lost-card.html.