Security Statement

Our online banking platform brings forth a combination of industry-standard security technologies to protect both customer and Bank data from exposure to unauthorized entities. This level of security is achieved in part by:

• Protecting the privacy and the confidentiality of the communications between your browser and our servers.
• Verifying that only authorized persons are allowed to access online banking.
• Maintaining isolation of our computers from the internet.

Security & User Identification

Online security is achieved by credential verification. To begin an online session, a user must have a User ID and a Password. Commercial customer users must also have a Company ID. Customers accept responsibility for the confidentiality and security of access credentials. Customers determine passwords based on Bank‐defined conventions. Customers play a crucial role in preventing others from logging on to their account(s). Customers should never use passwords that are easy to guess. Examples of bad passwords include birth dates, first names, pet names, addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, etc. Customers should never reveal passwords to another person. You may register your device when accessing online banking through use of a Secure Access Code delivered to mobile devices or landlines for commercial customers and delivered via email, mobile devices, or landlines for retail customers; this assists the Bank in authenticating access.

Commercial customers are granted customized access based on services. The Bank will provide access credentials to an authorized Company Administrator. Company Administrators have full account access and are responsible for maintaining users, which includes adding, assigning entitlements and removal of users. In addition, we may provide company users additional layered security methods due to Cash Management services granted. Customers agree that the security credentials assigned by the Bank constitute a reasonable security procedure, and the Bank can rely on, and act in accordance with, any inquiry, message or instruction transmitted electronically using the assigned security credentials, which will constitute conclusive evidence that such inquiry, message or instruction is correct and has been duly authorized by the company.

Lockouts

Our system also uses a lockout protocol to deter unauthorized users from repeated login attempts. After a certain number of unsuccessful login attempts, the system locks the user out, requiring a phone call to the Bank to verify the identity of the customer or successful login using an approved User ID and Password after a period of time, before re‐entry to a secured session.

Online Banking Security

Customers are encouraged to take advantage of additional online banking tools offered which add another layer of protection, under the “Security” and “Alerts” tab of the user profile. As a precaution, specific account alerts are automatically sent for invalid password attempts and password changes.

Secure Data Transfer

We use security measures that comply with applicable state and federal laws. These measures include device safeguards and secured files and oversight of our third-party service providers to ensure information remains confidential and secure.

Protecting Your User ID and Password

You should not keep your User ID and password information on or near your computer. Keep both in a secure area away from your computer to prevent any unauthorized access to your accounts. Never share your User ID or password with anyone. For security purposes, passwords must be changed during the initial log-in to our online banking platform. Commercial customer passwords expire every ninety (90) days. Consumer customer passwords do not expire, however we recommend changing at least semiannually. Some browser software may store user names and passwords to make it easier when you revisit a website. First Nova Bank does not recommend using this feature to access sites containing sensitive information. You can disable this feature in your browser. Please note that if you enable this feature, unauthorized users may be able to access your account without your knowledge. Do not leave your computer while you are logged into online banking, especially if others may have access to your computer. Before leaving your computer, be sure to click on the Log Off option or EXIT button to end your online session.

Secure Email

You understand you may send and receive secure email messages to and from the Bank through online banking. Messages sent to the Bank through online banking will automatically be routed to a Bank email box. The Bank is not responsible for any delay in messages being retrieved. Urgent messages should be verified by a telephone call to the Bank. You are responsible for periodically checking for messages sent by the Bank. You cannot use secure email to stop payments, transfer funds or perform bill payment.

Regular non‐encrypted internet email may not be secure and should not be used as a method to communicate sensitive information. If you are uncertain about the security of an email or the confidentiality of any message, you can contact our Electronic Banking Department by phone at 1.800.350.3557, by mail at Global Nova Bank - Electronic Banking, PO Box 131207, Carlsbad, CA 92013‐1207, or by visiting your branch of account. Please use the Find A Location feature on our website home page for information on our branch offices.

Best Practices to Mitigate Scams

An increasingly prevalent scam currently being employed by unscrupulous individuals is phishing. Phishing is a high‐tech scam that uses unsolicited email (also known as spam) or pop‐up messages in an attempt to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, social security number, passwords, and/or other sensitive information. Spoofing is when a fraudster or fraudulent computer program pretends to be something it’s not, usually via an email or website.

The sophistication of phishing and spoofing scams continues to dramatically increase. While online banking is widely considered to be as safe as or safer than in‐branch or ATM banking, as a general rule, you should be careful about giving out your personal financial information over the internet. Remember, First Nova Bank will never request your personal information via email or text.

Recommendations to Follow to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Scams:

• Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information. Phishers have been known to include upsetting or enticing (but false) statements in their emails to get people to react immediately. More recently, some fraudsters have toned down their language, as email recipients have become more aware of the use of this tactic. Either way, the email typically asks for information such as login IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc.
• Be careful of emails that are not personalized and/or may contain spelling errors and/or awkward syntax and phrasing. Many phishing emails are sent in bulk and, therefore, are not personalized. If you are suspicious of an email claiming to be from a company you do business with, call the company which appears to have sent the email before responding. Many emails are being sent from other countries from individuals for whom English is a foreign language, thus resulting in misspelled words and awkward syntax and phrasing.
• Be careful of personalized emails that ask for personal financial information. Be suspicious of any email that contains some personal financial information, such as a whole or partial bank account number and asks for other information, such as a PIN. We will never ask for or send you personal financial information by email unless it is encrypted or by some other secure method.
• Be careful of emails or pop-up windows telling you there is a problem requiring someone to remotely access your computer. A fraudster may do this in order to steal your online banking information.
• Do not use links in an email to get to any web page. Instead, call the company on the telephone to confirm the web page address, or log onto the website directly by typing in the known web address in your browser.
• Do not complete forms in email messages that ask for personal financial information. First Nova Bank would never ask you to complete such a form within an email message. Only communicate information, such as credit cards numbers or account information, via a secure website or the telephone. When submitting financial information to a website, look for the padlock or key icon, and make sure the internet address begins with “https:”. A secure web server designation can be found by checking the beginning of the web address in your browser’s bar and the address should begin with https:// rather than http://.
• Regularly log on to your online accounts and check your bank, credit and debit card statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate. One of the real advantages of banking online is being able to review your account for unauthorized or unusual activity. If anything is suspicious, contact your bank and all card issuers immediately.
• Ensure that your browser is up to date and security patches are applied. Always visit your browser’s home page to download the latest security updates even if they don’t alert you to do so.
• Use online statements to reduce the volume of paper mailed. Today, stolen paper documents are the cause of more actual instances of identity fraud than are electronic thefts.

Disclaimer

First Nova Bank does not intend to offer investment advice nor act as a fiduciary by publishing any information contained in this site or at linked sites. Third‐party information made available on or through this website is provided “as-is,” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including (without limitation) any warranty of accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information, title, non-infringement of third-party rights, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose.

Except as otherwise required by law or set forth in our agreements with users, we assume no responsibility for any damages, expenses or losses, including without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages arising in connection with this website use thereof or reliance on any information contained herein, even if we are unaware of the possibility of such damages.

Protecting Children's Privacy Online

From our websites, we do not knowingly collect or use personal information from children under thirteen (13) without obtaining verifiable consent from their parents. However, we are not responsible for data collection and use practices from nonaffiliated third parties to which our website may link.

For more information about the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), please visit the FTC website at www.ftc.gov.

Changes to this Statement

We may add to, delete from, or otherwise change the terms of this Statement from time to time. We may notify you of the changes by mail, email, or by posting a modified Statement on our website. Your continued use of this site or any online service following such notification will constitute your acceptance of the revised Statement. Accordingly, please check this site regularly for revisions.