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Fraud Warning Signs

Truth be told, today, there are many people out to scam you. Check fraud has spiked in the U.S., with thieves stealing money and selling bogus checks on the darknet. Mail-related check fraud is rising, as criminals can easily get their hands on your checks. As terrible as this is, knowing the warning signs can be a very good thing. Help begins at home.

  1. Unexpected charges.

If you do not check your accounts carefully, while this may be obvious, someone could buy something unexpected with your money. First Reliance customers whose accounts are enrolled in online banking or the bank’s mobile app simply need to turn on the alert settings to know when purchases are made.

  1. Checks that are significantly out of order on your bank statement.

When checking your monthly bank statement, you may not have written that check if you notice an oddball check number.

  1. Bills and statements ...

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Five Financial Wellness Goal Ideas

With January in the rear window, it isn’t too late to look at your finances and set goals for 2023. There's no better time to take stock of your financial situation than now. So, how do you start? Here are five goals that may help.

  1. Get a financial check-up. This step is essential so you know where you stand. Add up your assets and subtract your liabilities. The result will show whether you're in the green (positive) or red (negative). Knowing the answer can help you plan your next year’s savings and spending.
  2. Create a spending plan. Itemize your monthly expenses and include your essential and non-essential items. Determine if you want to make it a priority to save money or eliminate debt.
  3. Conduct monthly financial meetings. Like you would as an employee, having monthly meetings with family members makes sense, especially regarding finances. If you have ...

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Kevin Jones, Vice President, and Residential Lending Specialist
Kevin Jones, Vice President, and Residential Lending Specialist

Kevin Jones has joined First Reliance Bank as Vice President and Residential Lending Specialist and will be in the Greenville, SC, East Washington Street Branch. He will assist customers with their mortgage financing needs and identify the best bank products to meet their needs.

Rick Saunders, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Kevin is a top loan producer, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to our residential lending team. His extensive career in the mortgage lending industry will be invaluable to our clients and homebuyers across the state.”

Kevin commented, “I’m very excited to join the First Reliance Bank team and bring the strength of a regional bank to the residential mortgage market in Greenville. Greenville is an emerging market. Although I’ve lived in many places, Greenville has been home for the longest.  It is such a fun and dynamic community to live and work in. It is consistently growing, ...

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IRS Scams

First Reliance Bank takes you, our customers, and anyone considering a switch in their banking services seriously. Tax Season officially began on Monday, January 23rd, the date the Internal Revenue Service announced they would start accepting 2022 tax returns. There’s no reason to wait to file; however, be aware of the scam out there that can scare the daylights out of you.

That scam might come by way of email, but many times it’s over the phone.

How the IRS Scam Works

You get a call, and the caller claims to be with the IRS. They claim you owe the IRS money, and if you don’t pay right away, frequently with a wire transfer of money, you’ll be arrested.

It seems real because the caller might have information about you because of identity theft. They’ll have a fake badge number and name.  The caller ID can even look ...

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Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann addresses community leaders attending the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremonies outside First Reliance Bank’s new retail and corporate offices in downtown Columbia. Rick Saunders, First Reliance Bank CEO (left), and Justin Strickland, First Reliance Bank President (right), look on.
Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann addresses community leaders attending the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremonies outside First Reliance Bank’s new retail and corporate offices in downtown Columbia. Rick Saunders, First Reliance Bank CEO (left), and Justin Strickland, First Reliance Bank President (right), look on.

 

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Thursday, January 12, 2023 – First Reliance Bank celebrated the grand opening of its regional headquarters with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at its retail and corporate offices in downtown Columbia. Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, community leaders, and the First Reliance Bank executive and banking team from Columbia were in attendance. 

“We are very appreciative of the investment First Reliance Bank has made in downtown Columbia. The bank’s investment is important as it supports the continued growth of business and retail along the Main Street corridor,” stated Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. 

The morning event celebrated the completion of construction and official opening of the bank’s new retail banking center and corporate offices. “We’ve wanted to be in downtown Columbia for many years but waited until we had the right team in place in order to grow the market. Our team is now in place, and we ...

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F. Justin Strickland Named Top 50 Most Influential People

First Reliance Bank is pleased to announce that President F. Justin Strickland has been named one of Columbia’s Top 50 Most Influential People by Columbia Business Monthly. The honorees are selected through a process of staff research and community nominations.

Rick Saunders, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Justin’s efforts to make the Midlands one of the best places to live in South Carolina is mirrored by his commitment and dedication to First Reliance’s customers and staff.”

Justin serves on many regional and statewide boards in South Carolina, including as committee chairman of the Board of Financial Institutions and on the executive committee of the Lexington Medical Foundation. A Walterboro native, Strickland graduated from the University of South Carolina and the Banking School of the South at Louisiana State University.

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True Interest Rate

Interest rates are always in flux; in fact, they change every 60 seconds. So, there is no real way to predict their path from one month to the next. Trying to catch the perfect rate should never deter you from owning your dream home. In fact, agents will often say, “Marry the house, date the rate.” This basically means don’t let interest rates deter you because you can always refinance. We have an inventory problem.

There is always a possibility that we could see another dip, and there could be a refi opportunity in that. If you find that perfect house, don’t wait to get it. Even if the rate isn’t what you’d hoped, there are always opportunities to modify or refinance. It’s a lot easier than people expect.

Don't Wait

In this market, the perfect home is harder to come by. If you find it, there’s no reason to ...

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If You’ve Been Hacked

It may seem to happen frequently; you see a nightly news story, or worse yet, you receive an email that a major retailer says we’ve had a little “tiny” problem, and consumer card information has been hacked. When that happens, it is quite possible that you feel vulnerable. So, how can you protect yourself in advance? Read along for tips from First Reliance.

Be On Guard

At a minimum, you should log in to online banking and set up daily balance alerts. Better yet, make a point to look at your account online every day. And we mean, look closely.

Know How Hackers Work

When credit card information is stolen, hackers sell it to other hackers online. The smart ones buy card information from their area, which means you may not see charges from some exotic place. These hackers could be using your card information at a store down the ...

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Left to right: Reuben Hewitt, Karen Carron, Johnny Nexsen, Gena White, Cindy Ellis, Randy Griswell, Taft Osborne, Lindley Hamilton, Catherine Smith, Kody Stevens, Shanell Cook, Gabrielle Caselnova, and Matthew Lafevor
Left to right: Reuben Hewitt, Karen Carron, Johnny Nexsen, Gena White, Cindy Ellis, Randy Griswell, Taft Osborne, Lindley Hamilton, Catherine Smith, Kody Stevens, Shanell Cook, Gabrielle Caselnova, and Matthew Lafevor

First Reliance Bank is pleased to announce the awardees of the 2021 CEO Award of Excellence. The following employees were recognized and honored during the Associates Meeting in Columbia, SC, on October 10, 2022.

Please join us in celebrating their commitment to excellence.

Denise Lee – Universal Banker
Matthew Lafevor – Sr System Engineer
Danielle Smith – Sr. Wholesale Specialist
Karen Carron – Mortgage Shipper
Catherine Smith – Doc Prep Team Lead
Randy Griswell – Deposit Operations Specialist
Johnny Nexsen – Residential Lending Specialist
Shanell Cook – Treasury Services Specialist
Christopher Taft Osborne – Branch Manager
Lindley Hamilton – Branch Manager and Treasury Services
Kody Stevens – Portfolio Analyst
Gabrielle Caselnova – Marketing Coordinator
Reuben Hewitt – Relationship Banker
Cindy Ellis – Customer Care Specialist
Gena White – Sr. Collections Specialist

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If you answered "yes," to any of the following questions, you could be involved in a FRAUD or about to be SCAMMED!

  1. Is the CHECK from an item you sold on the Internet, such as a car, boat, jewelry, etc.?
  2. Is the amount of the CHECK more than the item's selling price?
  3. Did you receive the CHECK via an overnight delivery service?
  4. Is the CHECK connected to communicating with someone by mail?
  5. Is the CHECK drawn on a business or individual account that is different from the person buying your item or product?
  6. Have you been informed that you were the winner of a LOTTERY, such as Canadian, Australian, El Gordo, or El Mundo, that you did not enter?
  7. Have you been instructed to either "WIRE," "SEND," or "SHIP" MONEY as soon as possible to a large U.S. city or another country, such as Canada, England, or Nigeria?
  8. Have you ...