Computer Scams/ SPCC Extension

County Agent News

Dan Folske

October 24, 2011

Computer Scams

            ACH Transfer Rejected.  When you use a check at Walmart or many other stores they run it electronically and give you your check back. Have you noticed that those transactions are usually noted on your bank statements as ACH transactions? And any automatic withdrawals for loans, credit card payments, cell phone bills, or any other auto pay accounts you may have set up are also usually noted as ACH payments.

            Imagine my surprise when I received an email titled “ACH Transfer Rejected”.

The text read: The ACH transfer (ID: 00058650442063), recently sent from your bank account (by you or any other person), was canceled by the Electronic Payments Association.

It seemed suspicious to me so instead of clicking on the link in the email for details I closed the email and checked my account through my banks online banking system and found no such problem. A little more checking of some online references found a phishing alert related to this and similar emails. Phishing is the term used for official looking emails that attempt to get you to click on a link within an email to log into your bank or other personal account. If you click on the link in the email it may look like your financial institutions web page but it is actually only a fake page created to get your account and access information.

Never follow a link in an email to log into your accounts! If your financial institution or other entity with whom you do business has a problem, they may call you or email you but they will simply ask you to stop in, call them, or log in by following your normal method or phone number. Unless you initiate the call or contact, you will not be directed to another number or web page.

SPCC Extension
            On October 18^th the EPA amended the date by which farms must prepare and implement their Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, to May 10, 2013. Although this is a welcome respite to many producers they need to remember that they are still liable for any spills which may occur prior to that 2013 date. Producers who were in business prior to August 16^th, 2002 were supposed to have a plan in place prior to August 16^th, 2002 and are required to maintain that plan but now have until May 10, 2013 to amend and implement the amendments to meet the current standards.