Banknorth Group Inc. warns customers of scam by e-mail

BANGOR – Banknorth Group warned customers Monday of an e-mail scam attempting to get access to customers’ Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and personal identification numbers of credit cards.

Traditionally, such scams offer some benefit such as increased amounts of credit or indicate that an account needs to be “updated” or “validated” to keep the account active, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Some customers and noncustomers received such e-mails directing them to a false Web site, www.bank-north.us.

Banknorth Group Inc. is working closely with the FBI and regulatory authorities on eliminating the scam.

“The best protection customers have is to not respond to this type of e-mail,” said Edward P. Schreiber, Banknorth’s chief risk officer. “Whenever you are asked for that kind of information, double-check the legitimacy of the request.”

Banknorth Group is the parent company of Peoples Heritage Bank in Maine, Bank of New Hampshire, Evergreen Bank in upstate New York, Banknorth Massachusetts, Banknorth Connecticut, and Banknorth Vermont.