Cyber Security

If you are a victim of fraud, please contact us at 360-779-4567.

Social Engineering Attack

Source:  Dept. of Homeland Security

In a social engineering attack, an attacker uses human interaction (social skills) to obtain or compromise information about an organization or its computer systems.  An attacker may seem unassuming and respectable, possibly claiming to be a new employee, repair person, or researcher and even offering credentials to support that identity.  However, by asking questions, he or she may be able to piece together enough information to infiltrate an organization’s network.  If an attacker is not able to gather enough information from one source, he or she may contact another source within the same organization and rely on the information from the first source to add to his or her credibility.  Read More

Cyber Security Awareness Basics

Source: fdic.gov

Consumers increasingly rely on computers and the Internet — the “cyber” world — for everything from shopping and communicating to banking and bill-paying. But while the benefits of faster and more convenient cyber services for bank customers are clear, the risks posed by these services as well as the strategies for preventing or recovering from cyber-related crimes may not be as well-known by the average consumer and small business owner.

Common cyber-related crimes include identity theft, frauds, and scams. Identity theft involves a crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person’s personal data to open fraudulent credit card accounts, charge existing credit card accounts, withdraw funds from deposit accounts, or obtain new loans. A victim’s losses may include not only out-of-pocket financial losses but also substantial costs to restore credit history and to correct erroneous information in their credit reports.

How to Avoid Identity Theft

The best protection against identity theft is to carefully protect your personal information, for example:

• Do not share personal information over the phone, through the mail, or over the internet unless you initiated the contact or know the person you are dealing with;
• Be suspicious if someone contacts you unexpectedly online and asks for your personal information. It doesn’t matter how legitimate the e-mail or website may look. Only open e-mails that look like they are from people or organizations you know, and even then, be cautious if they look questionable. Be especially wary of fraudulent e-mails or websites that have typos or other obvious mistakes;
• Don’t give out valuable personal information in response to unsolicited requests. Social Security numbers, financial account information and your driver’s license number are some of the details that should be kept confidential;
• Shred old receipts, account statements, and unused credit card offers;
• Choose PINs and passwords that would be difficult to guess and avoid using easily identifiable information such as your mother’s maiden name, birth dates, the last four digits of your social security number, or phone numbers;
• Pay attention to billing cycles and account statements and contact your bank if you don’t receive a monthly bill or statement since identity thieves often divert account documentation;
• Review account statements thoroughly to ensure all transactions are authorized;
• Guard your mail from theft, promptly remove incoming mail, and do not leave bill payment envelopes in your mailbox with the flag up for pick up by mail carrier;
• Obtain your free credit report annually and review your credit history to ensure it is accurate;
• Use an updated security program to protect your computer; and
• Be careful about where and how you conduct financial transactions, for example don’t use an unsecured Wi-Fi network because someone might be able to access the information you are transmitting or viewing.

How to Avoid Frauds & Scams

There are numerous scams presented daily to consumers so you must always exercise caution when it comes to your personal and financial information. The following tips may help prevent you from becoming a fraud victim.

• Be aware of incoming e-mail or text messages that ask you to click on a link because the link may install malware that allows thieves to spy on your computer and gain access to your information;
• Be suspicious of any e-mail or phone requests to update or verify your personal information because a legitimate organization would not solicit updates in an unsecured manner for information it already has;
• Confirm a message is legitimate by contacting the sender (it is best to look up the sender’s contact information yourself instead of using contact information in the message);
• Assume any offer that seems too good to be true, is probably a fraud;
• Be on guard against fraudulent checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or electronic fund transfers sent to you with requests for you to wire back part of the money;
• Be wary of unsolicited offers that require you to act fast;
• Check your security settings on social network sites. Make sure they block out people who you don’t want seeing your page;
• Research any “apps” before downloading and don’t assume an “app” is legitimate just because it resembles the name of your bank or other company you are familiar with;
• Be leery of any offers that pressure you to send funds quickly by wire transfer or involve another party who insists on secrecy; and
• Beware of Disaster-Related Financial Scams.   Con artists take advantage of people after catastrophic events by claiming to be from legitimate charitable organizations when, in fact, they are attempting to steal money or valuable personal information.

Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotary Club Gala

Liberty Bank’s Kristi Sutton, Relationship Associate, and Tony Fyrqvist, VP & Relationship Manager, were both in attendance at Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotary Club’s Halloween-themed gala and auction on Saturday, October 27^th.. The event raised $97,924. Funds raised will go to support a variety of other community organizations including: North Kitsap schools, Poulsbo Historical Society, City of Poulsbo Parks and Recreation programs, Maritime Museum, and Fish Park.

Coffee Oasis Fundraising Gala

Liberty Bank was a proud sponsor of the Hope Gala,Coffee Oasis’ recent fundraiser to end youth homelessness. The evening was held on Saturday, October 20^th at the Kitsap Golf and Country Club. Liberty Bank President and CEO, Rick Darrow, his wife Janna, and Liberty Bank Loan Officer Tony Fyrqvist and his wife Lisa were in attendance.

The Hope Gala consisted of a silent auction along with a paddle raise for general support. The evening also included a case study presentation and discussion led by the Coffee Oasis founder Dave Frederick.

Coffee Oasis is a local non-profit organization that offers youth programs including youth centers, street and school outreach, job training, and crisis intervention. To learn more about Coffee Oasis and their mission, please visit their website here.

Jennifer Carrier Promoted to VP & Deposit Operations Manager

Poulsbo and Greater Puget Sound, WA –  Liberty Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Jennifer Carrier to the role of VP & Deposit Operations Manager. She brings 18 years of banking experience to her new position.

“This past year I played an instrumental role in the acquisition of the Poulsbo branch deposits and safe deposit boxes of a bank leaving our market,” Jennifer says. “What’s exciting is that with our recent expansion we are growing our Central Operations department which I am now responsible for.”

Jennifer has been with Liberty Bank since 2010, when she joined as Branch Manager and then later as Deposit Operations Specialist. During her time at Liberty Bank, she’s seen the bank’s strong commitment to providing unsurpassed client care in action. As she says, “our clients become family and friends; their successes become our successes.”

            “I could not be prouder of Jennifer and her achievements that led up to her promotion,” says Rhonda Morris, Senior VP Of Operations & Risk Management Officer.

            When she’s not at work, Jennifer loves camping with her husband and two children.

Liberty Bank Hosts a Back to School Drive

With students returning to classrooms around the North Kitsap area, the staff at Liberty Bank put together a supply drive for children in need. Their donations brought in everything from pens and pencils to notebooks, scissors, and crayons.

This collection goes directly to North Kitsap Fishline’s School Supply program. This program ensures low income children, from Kindergarten to 12^th grade, are getting the school supplies they need before school starts in the autumn.

For more information on North Kitsap Helpline, and how you can get involved, please visit http://www.nkfishline.org/

LIBERTY BANK PROMOTES GARCIA TO VICE PRESIDENT & CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER

Poulsbo, WA.  Liberty Bank is thrilled to announce the promotion of Kelly Garcia to the role of VP Client Services Manager. She brings 19 years of banking experience to her new role.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity to grow with Liberty Bank,” says Kelly. “I have enjoyed working with our community to help our clients.” Outside of work, Kelly is busy with her 3-year-old and 1-year-old who both take up a lot of her time.

“We are delighted to promote Kelly into this leadership role,” say Rhonda Morris, Senior VP of Operations & Risk Management Officer. “With her vast background, knowledge and experience, she will continue to add value to each client relationship.”

Poulsbo Banner Bank to be acquired by Liberty Bank

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Poulsbo, WA – Liberty Bank announced today it has entered into an agreement with Banner Bank to acquire the deposits of its Poulsbo location.  The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018.

“We look forward to welcoming the employees and clients of the Poulsbo Banner Bank location to Liberty Bank and extending to them our extraordinary client service and local expertise,” stated Rick Darrow, President and CEO of Liberty Bank.  “We believe this expansion is a natural fit that increases our opportunity to build new client relationships and strengthens our community.”

The Poulsbo branch is Banner Bank’s only location in Kitsap County.  The agreement is to purchase deposits of approximately $25 million, including both personal and business accounts.  Notices will be mailed to each client with more details regarding the transaction.

About Liberty Bank: Headquartered in Poulsbo and serving clients throughout the West Sound and Puget Sound regions, Liberty Bank is a full-service community bank committed to highly personalized service and to reinvesting in the communities it serves. The bank provides loans and professional banking solutions to businesses, non-profits, and consumers. More information is available at libertybanknw.com or by calling 360-779-4567.

About Banner Bank
Banner Bank is a Washington-chartered commercial bank conducting business from 175 locations in Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho.  Banner Bank is a community bank which offers a wide variety of commercial banking services and financial products to individuals and small- and medium-sized businesses and their employees throughout the western U.S. Banner Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Banner Corporation, headquartered in Walla Walla, Washington with $9.8 billion in assets. Visit Banner Bank at www.bannerbank.com.

HRB Breakfast Fundraiser

The Housing Resources Board breakfast was a community event sponsored in part by Liberty Bank to support affordable housing on Bainbridge Island. The HRB provides assistance for rental housing, home ownership and independent living (home modifications can be made so elderly and disabled can remain in their homes). It was well attended by professionals and community members, including Denise Nicolet, VP & Loan Officer, and Kristi Sutton, Relationship Associate, of Liberty Bank. The speaker was Dwight Sutton who was the Mayor of Bainbridge Island from 1997-2001.

Bremerton Chamber Gala

The Bremerton Chamber Gala was held on October 26^th at the Kitsap Golf & Country Club. Tony Fyrqvist, VP and Relationship Manager at Liberty Bank, and his wife attended the event.  “Besides raising funds for worthy causes, to me the auctions are fun because of the close knit comradery and coming together of people who want to do what they can to help their local communities,” Tony says.

Poulsbowood Gala 2017

Poulsbowood was a gala event sponsored in part by Liberty Bank and held on Friday, October 20^th at the Clearwater Events Center. The event raised approximately $90,000 for the Rotary Club to use for various community projects both locally and internationally. The evening featured a fun Hollywood theme. In addition to dinner, there was a raffle and an auction to raise money for the Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotary Foundation. The Foundation supports local and international projects including Fish and Oyster Parks, Coffee Oasis, Scholarships, Polio eradication, sustainable gardening in Ethiopia and health/sanitation/water education in Bolivia.