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Financial Basics Get off on the right foot with the right financial tools. 13 Topics

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Identity Protection Safeguard your identity and your financial future. 6 Topics

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4 Reasons to Consider an Energy-Efficient Home If you’re buying, building, or remodeling a home, here are 5 reasons to consider putting energy-efficient features high on your priority list. 3 min read

Best Savings Account – North Carolina Finding some of the best savings account in North Carolina may seem like a difficult task. After all, there are hundreds of North Carolina banks offering savings accounts. How do you go about determining which account is right for you? Savings Account Options with First Bank Finding the best savings account in North Carolina that meets your unique needs is easy with First Bank. Our account options include: 1. Everywhere Savings — Our most basic account designed to meet the saving needs of anyone. It includes: 2 free withdrawals per month* No minimum balance to earn interest Free online and mobile banking** 2. MyFirst Savings — An account designed to teach children and teens under 18 the value of saving. It includes features like: 2 free withdrawals per month* No minimal balance to earn interest Free online and mobile banking** Only $10 required to open account 3. Money Market — For customers who want to earn interest at a higher rate while still having access to their funds. This account includes: 6 free withdrawals per month* Interest-earning account access $1,000 minimum to open account Free online and mobile banking** First Bank also offers: Certificates of Deposit (CDs) with a fixed rate and choice of terms. IRAs for a long-term savings. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to help you save for current and future health expenses. To view and compare all of our savings account options, click here. Visit Your Local First Bank Today At First Bank, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best savings account options in North Carolina. Visit a location near you to learn more about opening an account, or visit our website today. To learn more about First Bank, visit these related articles: Best Savings Account Rates in North Carolina, What is a Child Savings Account, or Stress-Free Savings Account – North Carolina. *Withdrawal fee of $2 each after the first two during the month. Federal regulations limit withdrawals of preauthorized transfers to six (6) per month, including checks, drafts, online transfers, telephone transfers and debit card purchases. You may conduct an unlimited number of withdrawals at the ATM, in person at a branch, or by mail when the check is mailed to you. **While First Bank does 3 min read

Checking Account Offers in South Carolina If you live in South Carolina and you’re looking for some of the best checking account offers, your local First Bank can help. We offer a variety of checking account options—from basic accounts to accounts with tons of features to premium accounts that earn interest. Checking Accounts at First Bank First Bank is one of the best banks for checking accounts in South Carolina. Each of our checking accounts comes with free online and mobile banking,* online bill pay, and free eStatements or paper statements. Our checking account offers include: Everywhere Checking — our most basic account. Everywhere Plus — an account that has all the benefits of Everywhere Checking, plus the chance to earn interest on your balance. Everywhere Premium — an account that has all the basics of Everywhere Plus, plus additional complimentary services. Campus Checking — an account designed for students between ages of 16 and 25. Senior Checking — an account designed specifically for seniors over 55. Compare our checking account offers to see which one is the right fit for you. Find a First Bank Near You Find a South Carolina First Bank location near you to learn more about our account offers or click here to open an account online today. While First Bank does not charge for mobile banking, your mobile carrier’s message and data rates may apply. The First Bank Digital Banking Apps are available for select mobile and tablet devices. There is no charge from First Bank, but message and data rates may apply. Must enroll in First Bank Online Banking and download the First Bank Digital Banking App from the App Store or Google Play. Apple, the Apple logo, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple, Inc. Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc. Out of network terminal owners may charge a service fee. 2 min read

Money Mule Scams: How Criminals Convert Fraud into Profit What is a Money Mule? Money mules are individuals who unknowingly or knowingly assist criminals in laundering money, often by transferring illegally sourced funds between accounts or across borders. The source of the money comes from fraudulent scams or other illegal activities like drug trafficking. Criminals use their mule’s identity and layer the illegal transactions in an attempt to hide the illegal funds from law enforcement. Once properly hidden, the criminals are able to access their funds and cash out on their illegal activity. Common Money Mule Scams There are a number of ways that criminals will try to hide their money from law enforcement. Money mules are a form of money laundering, where criminals attempt to make their illegally sourced funds seem legitimate. Here are a few common ways people can unknowingly fall victim to money mule scams. 1- Deceptive Job Offers Money mule scammers will act as employers offering high-paying, remote positions. Common job titles could be payment processor, financial coordinator, or international fund liaison. While these job opportunities seem legitimate, their primary function is to receive and transfer illegal funds. The criminal will wire a large sum of funds to the mule, then instruct them to keep a percentage and transfer the remainder of the money to a different account or purchase a certain amount of cryptocurrency. The criminal hides behind their mule’s identity and is able to more easily access their funds. 2 – Romance Scams This type of mule scam exploits a victim’s emotions and trust. Scammers will find their victims on social media sites, dating sites or other online chat channels. They will deceive their victims with made up personas often using stolen photos and fake details. Over time, the scammer will attempt to build an emotional connection by sending affectionate messages or personal stories. Once they feel they have earned the victim’s trust, they will fabricate a story requiring financial assistance. These are oftentimes medical emergencies or travel issues that need quick funding into an account. Once the scammer has convinced their victim to oblige, they will continue to exploit their trust to launder their illegal funds. 3 – Lottery, Prize, and Investment Scams If something seems too good to be true – it probably is. These scams typically start via an unsolicited message or phone call informing you that you’ve won a prize. They instruct their victims to take a number of steps before they can claim their prize, and that is where the danger lies. These steps could include gathering your personal details, wiring a “prize tax” or fraudulent fee, accepting a large sum of money, and/or transferring a portion of the winning funds to another account. Similarly, investment scammers typically promise their mule victims “return” for their illegal money transfers – sometimes in the form of cryptocurrency or percentages of the money they wire. What are the Consequences? Large overdraft balances are most often the first consequence to the money mule. Once the criminal has access to their mule’s account, they typically push a large lump sum out of the account. This amount oftentimes will exceed the typical balance in the mule’s account, leaving them with a substantial negative balance to dig out from. Acting as a money mule is illegal, whether the crime is knowing or unknowingly committed. The punishment for these crimes include imprisonment and federal charges. Additionally, your identity and personal information could be stolen from the criminals involved in the money mule scheme. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): The IC3 is run by the FBI and accepts online internet crime complaints from the victim at www.ic3.gov How to Protect Yourself As with most methods of protecting yourself against fraud – remain cautious whenever someone requests your personal information or banking information. Only share those details with people or organizations that you trust. If you receive a job offer from an online business, do your due diligence to confirm they are a legitimate company. Additionally, a legitimate employer will not ask you to form a company or open a new bank account on their behalf. Always be cautious if anyone asks you to wire or transfer money on their behalf. Be weary if something seems too good to be true, like you’ve won an unsolicited prize or been chosen to participate in a giveaway. Scammers act on urgency. If someone is pressuring you to do something that you’re uncomfortable with, walk away. If you or someone you know is afraid they are involved in a money mule scheme, it’s not too late to stop. Stop communicating with the person giving the directions. Tell your financial institution and consider changing accounts. Report suspicious communications or activity to law enforcement. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is the Nation’s central hub for reporting cyber crime and run by the FBI. Visit www.ic3.gov for resources and more information about how to file a report. Maintain receipts, contact information and communications (emails, text messages, voicemails) so that information can be passed to law enforcement, if needed. 5 min read

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