Elderly Financial Exploitation Fraud Spotlight – Romance Scam
According to a report by Statista, an estimated 440 million people will use online dating apps by 2027. While many people use dating apps and websites to find love, others use it to exploit others for financial gain. The first two blogs in the elderly financial exploitation fraud spotlight series addressed the “grandparent” scam and […]
Save Time and Money — Experience More
What comes to mind when you think of summer? Maybe you think of relaxing by the pool, reading a good book, spending time with friends and family, or going on a trip. Whatever it is, don’t let the tasks of everyday life slow you down! Try out some of these tips for saving money and […]
Text Message Scams
According to the Federal Trade Commission in 2024, consumers reported losing $470 million to scams initiated with text messages. This staggering number is five times higher than the amount reported in 2020. Below are the five most common types of text message scams. Package Delivery Messages about package deliveries typically come from someone pretending to […]
Elderly Financial Exploitation Fraud Spotlight – Lottery and Sweepstakes Scam
Elderly Financial Exploitation (EFE) is continuing to see a rise in case reports. According to AARP, victims over age 60 lose $28.3 billion annually in the United States. To put this in context, if you could save $100,000 every single day, it would take you over 775 years to save $28.3 billion dollars. Protecting seniors […]
Toss or Shred?
Free Shred Day will take place on Saturday, May 3 from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at our Headquarters (3330 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50266). For most people, the arrival of spring also means the arrival of spring cleaning. Looking at your stack of mail or your overflowing file cabinets, it can be […]
What are Deepfakes?
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we can now expand that to, “Don’t believe everything you see or hear.” AI can be a helpful tool that enhances efficiency, security, and customer experiences. When used by criminals, it has the ability to […]
Elderly Financial Exploitation Fraud Spotlight – “Grandparent” Scam
Elderly Financial Exploitation (EFE) is a growing form of fraud that targets older adults. Criminals seek to gain the elderly’s trust in order to convince them into sending money. In conjunction with the growing development of artificial intelligence resources to make scams seem more realistic, elderly fraud continues to rise. In 2022, the FBI reported […]
West Bank Opens New Office in Owatonna
On January 21, 2025, West Bank opened a new, state-of-the-art building located at 328 Hoffman Drive NW. Expanded banking services at this location include the introduction of a 24-hour walk-up ATM and Interactive Teller Machine. The building’s impressive architecture features a patio with views of the riverfront for special events and gatherings. The West Bank […]
New Year’s Resolutions for Your Finances
The beginning of the year is filled with New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not focus on enhancing your financial well-being? Create a Budget Spending and saving habits can fluctuate over the years. When was the last time you sat down and created a budget? Even if it has only been a year since you […]
Generative AI Being Used to Commit Financial Fraud
On December 3, 2024, the FBI issued a warning on generative artificial intelligence (AI) being used to commit financial fraud. Criminals are using AI-generated text, images, audio, and videos to trick victims into sending money and providing sensitive information. The FBI shared the following tips to help protect yourself from AI-generated fraud: Create a secret […]