Have you ever received a frantic call from someone claiming to be a relative in trouble? An urgent text that appeared to come from your bank? Or an unexpected invoice landing in your inbox? If any of this happened to you in 2025, chances are you were targeted by a sophisticated scam.

Stories like these are increasingly common—whether it’s an elderly woman losing her life savings after receiving a distress call from her “grandson,” or a business owner unknowingly paying a fraudulent invoice.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the average financial loss per scam victim is estimated at nearly $10,000, contributing to more than $12.5 billion in total losses nationwide.

Since 2007, FVCbank has been a trusted financial partner serving customers throughout the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. As a community bank, we combine advanced security technology with local decision-making and personalized service—so you always know who to call if something doesn’t feel right.

FVCbank offers a wide range of secure banking services, including personal checking and savings accounts, business banking with treasury management solutions, and fraud-prevention education through our online resources. You can explore additional tips on the FVCbank blog, including Best Practices for Mobile Banking.

Below are the top financial scams to look out for in 2026, along with practical steps to help protect your money, identity, and peace of mind.

Subscription Renewals & Auto-Pay Traps

Many apps and services require free trials or auto-renew subscriptions. While not illegal, these charges can quietly add up.

Best practices include:

• Reading all cancellation terms carefully
• Setting calendar reminders before trial periods end
• Reviewing monthly bank statements for recurring charges

How to Get Out of Auto-Pay Traps

• Use subscription-monitoring tools
• Contact the vendor directly to cancel
• File a dispute through your bank when appropriate

“Emergency” Text Scams Using Real Personal Information

Often referred to as “smishing,” emergency text scams use real personal details to create panic and urgency. Scammers may pretend to be a loved one, law enforcement, or a government agency.

Common warning signs include:

• Messages claiming to be from someone who does not normally text you
• Requests to keep the emergency a “secret”
• Unknown or international phone numbers
• Demands for payment using cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or third-party apps

What to Do if You Suspect “Smishing”

• Never send money or provide personal information
• Do not reply to the message
• Contact the person directly using a trusted phone number
• Block and report the number as spam

If you are unsure whether a message is legitimate, contact FVCbank directly. Our team is always here to help.

The post Top Financial Scams to Look Out for in 2026 appeared first on FVCbank.

FVCbank Helps Small Business Owners Build Long-Term Success

Being a small business owner isn’t easy. Whether you own a local shop, run a small consulting agency, or manufacture goods, many times you are focused on day-to-day operations rather than looking at the larger financial picture. This could cost you in the long run. The most effective way to ensure continued success and growth for your business is to create a strong financial foundation. This allows you to understand your cash flow, scale for growth, and be prepared for challenges and emergencies.

But there is no need to worry – FVCbank is here to help you create a roadmap to take control of your business finances and be successful. Since 2007, FVCbank has been serving residents and businesses in the DC Metro, Maryland, and Virginia areas. Our bankers think like entrepreneurs, just like you, including the importance of giving back to the community.

The State of Small Business and Impact on Economy

First, let’s talk about how small businesses are a key factor in the economic growth of the country. According to data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, small businesses contribute between 43% to 50% of the GDP, making them a vital part of the overall economic health. Those are large numbers when you think about it, and that means your small business, in the end, is contributing to almost half of the GDP!

There are also some changes occurring within the new administration that are designed to help small businesses. In a recent AP article, they talk about how the new administration will have a pro-business focus and highlight key challenges like pending changes to the Small Business Administration, tariffs, and changes to tax codes that are meant to help businesses grow in 2025.

Know Your Resources

Local banks like FVCbank are essential business partners for your overall financial health, but other great resources can provide free mentoring and templates essential to running your business.

SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a nonprofit organization that has been providing small businesses with resources and mentoring for free for more than 60 years. They share their years of experience as executives in various roles and offer online courses and free templates to help you with financial planning, creating strong business plans, and more. Visit the greater Washington, DC chapter to learn more and find a local mentor.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is another great resource. You can access a wealth of resources, from how to pay taxes, legal issues, and most importantly, how to manage finances with free templates.

Build A Strong Financial Foundation for Your Small Business

Now it’s time to dig into the steps you should take and FVCbank resources that can help your business build a strong foundation and grow. We strongly encourage you to sit with your core business partners and review these steps together to create an action plan.

Understand Your Cash Flow

Cash is King, and if you don’t know how much capital you have or how daily operations impact your bottom line, then you could run into trouble. If you are already a FVCbank customer, make sure you are taking advantage of the free Business Insights app to monitor your financial health. Not a FVCbank customer? Contact us today to open an account.

There are many experts that give sound advice, and you could spend hours doing your own research, but here are the five most common and agreed upon tips:

• Avoid being short on cash
  • Budget to have at least 3 months of funds on hand in case of any emergency
  • Open a line of credit as a backup to fund reserves
  • Keep a low balance on any business credit cards
  • If you are using a merchant service provider, make sure you have quick access to funds
• Inventory Management
  • Make sure your records are up to date
  • If you are a manufacturer, make the most of your raw materials to avoid waste
  • Don’t order more materials or goods than you need
• Get paid promptly
  • Make sure to invoice customers as soon as possible
  • Have strong payment terms to set expectations of due payment from the start
  • Establish penalties and late fees for missed payments, don’t leave cash on the table
  • Take advantage of your bank’s merchant services like FVCbank’s Merchant Service Program
• Upgrade your accounts payable practices
  • Review your spending habits on a regular basis, and if possible, reconcile daily so you know your cash flow
  • Prioritize all bills by due dates and process immediately to avoid late fees
  • Pay all high-interest businesses credit cards first
• Lease any equipment instead of buying
  • Leasing helps with managing and planning monthly budgets
  • Maintenance costs are covered by the company you are working with
  • More flexibility to upgrade equipment to support growth

Create (and Stick) to a Realist Budget

We all try to create a personal budget, but most of us don’t stick with it. That won’t work when you own and run your own business. Here are some great tips from our friends at SCORE, and your FVCbank business partner can help you review and recommend improvements to your budget.

• Business and personal finances are always separate – this is the most important rule for creating a small business budget. Always have separate business checking accounts to avoid any risks.
• Create a list of all business-related expenses – sounds simple enough, but you might be surprised when you and your team sit down and list out all expenses. This is good to practice at least once a quarter.
• Budget for your needs – knowing what goods or services your business needs for the short term can help you understand your operational costs, which is important for budgeting monthly expenses.
• Set expectations for your business income – if your small business is your only source of income, you need to make sure you are budgeting and forecasting to meet your personal finances. Skipping this step could impact your quality of life, for you and your family.
• Plan for growth – most business owners are focused on the short term or full year, but thinking about how you might want to grow over the next 3 or even 10 years can help you start budgeting and saving. After all, investing in your own business can only set you up for long-term success.
• Make needed cuts – as you list out all of your expenses, take some time to consider where you might be able to make a cut to reduce overhead costs. This isn’t about cutting corners; more about considering do you really need monthly manicures or pay for higher-end raw materials. This can really help you even rethink your overall operational costs.

Create a Strong Relationship with Your Local Bank

Larger, globally recognized financial institutions may seem like an easy choice when selecting a bank for your business, but how well do they actually know you?

Banks like FVCbank are embedded into the community, participate in local charities, and understand the needs of both residential and business customers. They believe in being good corporate citizens, and many of their managers, officers, and board members are actively involved with local organizations.

But it’s more than just giving back and being involved in the community, local banks are vital and strong part of the economy, and in some cases contribute more collectively to the GDP than large banks. Take a look at these stats from a 2023 survey from the American Bankers Association:

• Provided more than $2.3 trillion in loans for local communities
• Employ more than 450,000 people
• Hold more than $110 billion in small business loans
• Financed more than $150 billion for agricultural farmland and production
• Own more than $700 billion in commercial real estate like malls, office buildings, hospitals, and more
• Invested more than $180 billion in construction loans for builders and property investors

Plan for Growth

We’ve touched on factoring in growth as part of your budget, but sometimes you need a trusted partner and products to help you get there. Partnering with FVCbank means you have access to professionals who can help you scale for growth and offer products like:

• Business checking accounts
• Business credit cards
• Commercial lending products
• Merchant services program
• Employee programs
• Treasury management
• And much more…

FVCbank’s comprehensive business-related products and services give you peace of mind, knowing all of your needs are in one place and with a bank that actually is part of the community.

Plan for Challenges

One topic that most small businesses don’t address enough is planning for challenges, especially emergencies like natural disasters. No one really plans for being hit by a hurricane or other natural disaster, but it’s crucial as part of understanding and improving your financial foundation. If you don’t plan, then you can pay to respond to emergencies.

Many resources from trusted organizations and business insurance companies provide guidance to help plan for challenges and emergencies. Allstate has a great post that includes resources from Ready.gov and The American Red Cross, including a business impact analysis (BIA) guide to use as a template to create your own plan.

Another part of this type of planning is how to reopen if the worst does happen. Fortunately, the Small Business Administration has outlined steps you should take to reopen your business after a major event. They offer resources for remote training on emergency preparedness, resilience preparedness templates from the Small Business Development Center, and connect with a SCORE mentor to discuss how to pivot your business to recover from disaster.

Check Your Small Business Insurance Plan

This is another area most business owners don’t consider or skip with thinking about their financial foundation. Your business insurance plan is meant to protect you with every step of your business, especially in times of growth. FVCbank has comprehensive insurance products that cover items such as:

• Purchasing of new equipment
• Creating a new product or service
• Adding new employees
• Making changes to your storefront or office

Simply Business has a quick article that helps you think about what changes to your business you should share with your agent when reviewing or setting up your policy. Talk with your FVCbank business partner to make sure you have the right coverage.

Monitor Your Financial Health Regularly

Just like when you create a personal budget, then forget about it and then you are suddenly short on cash, regular review of your business budget is essential. It’s one thing to not have funds for going out to dinner but quite another if you can’t keep your business running. Here are some tips to keep you on track:

• Update your budget on a monthly basis and make sure you capture any new expenses
• Compare the actual budget vs. projected for each prior month to see where you might need to amend your budget
• Identify trends within your budget to see where you might be overspending or where a cut can be made
• Check your reserve and growth budgets to see if you need if you are contributing enough
• Consider budgeting software specifically for small businesses that can take some of the burden off of you and provide insights
• Consult your FVCbank business representative for advice and guidance to make your budget more efficient

Take Control of Your Financial Foundation with FVCbank

We covered many topics here, and you might feel a little overwhelmed, but that’s where FVCbank comes in. Built on the spirit of entrepreneurs and rooted in the community, they know exactly what running a small business like yours is like. From basic business checking accounts, merchant services, insurance, and much more, FVCbank is a trusted business partner for the greater DC Metro, Virginia, and Maryland areas.

Contact FVCbank today to get started!

The post Building a Strong Financial Foundation for Your Local Business appeared first on FVCbank.

At FVCbank, a leading community bank serving the Washington, DC Capital Region and Baltimore, we take pride in offering tailored solutions for individuals and businesses alike. With our focus on personalized service, and cutting-edge financial technology platforms, we’re redefining local banking.

Why Saving Money Matters

1. Financial Security: Savings act as a buffer against unexpected expenses, providing peace of mind in uncertain times.
2. Goal Achievement: Whether you’re saving for a home, education, or business growth, having a financial cushion helps turn dreams into reality.
3. Business Stability: For businesses, a strong savings strategy ensures resilience during economic downturns and supports future investments.

The Advantages of Banking with a Community Bank

Choosing a community bank like FVCbank offers distinct benefits over larger financial institutions:

• Personalized Service: Community banks prioritize building relationships with their customers, ensuring you receive advice and solutions tailored to your unique needs.
• Local Expertise: With deep roots in the DC Capital Region and Baltimore, FVCbank understands the economic landscape and can offer insights that reflect local market trends.
• Commitment to Growth: Community banks invest in the communities they serve, fostering economic development and supporting local businesses.

Why FVCbank Stands Out

Modern Financial Technology

In an era of rapid technological advancements, FVCbank is committed to staying ahead. Our secure online banking platform offers:

• State-of-the-Art Platforms: Access real-time financial data, detailed insights, and secure transactions with ease.
• Enhanced Security: Your savings and business transactions are protected by advanced encryption and fraud prevention tools.
• Data-Driven Insights: Our technology empowers businesses to make informed decisions with comprehensive analytics and benchmarking tools.

FDIC Insurance for Peace of Mind

Your deposits at FVCbank are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), providing a safety net that protects your hard-earned money.

Supporting Businesses and Consumers Across the Region

FVCbank proudly serves the diverse needs of individuals and businesses in the Washington, DC Capital Region, including Baltimore. Our deep community ties and understanding of local markets make us a trusted partner for:

• Small and medium-sized businesses seeking growth opportunities.
• Consumers looking for secure and modern banking solutions.
• Entrepreneurs needing expert guidance and tailored financial tools.

Start Saving and Banking Smarter Today

Saving money and banking with a trusted institution go hand in hand. With FVCbank, you gain access to the best of both worlds: the personalized service of a community bank and the technology and expertise of a larger financial institution.

Whether you’re growing your business, building personal savings, or simply looking for a trusted partner, FVCbank is here to help you achieve your financial goals.

Join the FVCbank family today—because your success is our priority.

For more information about our services, or modern financial platforms, contact us or visit one of our branches in the Washington, DC and Baltimore area.

The post The Importance of Saving Money with a Trusted Community Bank appeared first on FVCbank.

Create Uncrackable User IDs and Passwords

Your password is your bank account’s first line of defense. If you fail to do anything else, at least take the time to create a tough password. Many people create passwords that are simple to remember, such as a child’s name or their birthdate. Unfortunately, this type of information is easy to find online, leaving your account susceptible to hacks.

When creating and using a password, consider these tips:

• Use both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters
• Change your password regularly
• Avoid using automatic login features for your user IDs and passwords
• Never share your username or password with another party

Protect Account Data and Online Payments

The average online banking account contains a wide range of personal information, including transaction details and other private data. If a hacker manages to bypass the login screen, they can gain access to your account data and the services that go along with it, such as online payments.

To help protect your account data and online payments, consider the following tips:

• Make use of your account’s transaction limits
• Take advantage of account notifications and alerts
• Regularly review account reports and statements to confirm your transaction history
• Maintain separate accounts for paper and electronic transactions to make it easier to monitor your spending and identify discrepancies
• Immediately log off your account after completing a transaction to close the connection between your device and the financial institution
• Continue to monitor account activity and review transactions on a daily basis to prevent illegal transactions and other misdeeds from going unnoticed

Use Other Smart Online Banking Security Practices

You work hard for the money that you earn, and you want to keep it in your bank account, not someone else’s. You also want to prevent your personal information from getting stolen and misused by cybercriminals. While there is no foolproof way to eliminate these risks, you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming a victim by following a few general guidelines.

To help keep your online bank account safe, consider these tips:

• Never sign into your bank account from a public computer or any unsecured computer
• Each time you log into your account, check the last login date. If you notice that someone else has been signing in, contact your financial institution immediately
• Regularly review your account balances and transactions to confirm that no illegal charges have been made from your account. Report any suspicious transactions to your financial institution
• Opt for Bill Pay services instead of using checks to help reduce the exposure of your account number and to better maintain your records
• Keep an eye on your account alerts, including your balance alerts, transfer alerts, ACH alerts, and password change alerts
• When creating usernames and passwords, never use private information such as social security numbers or account numbers
• Never leave your bank account open and unmonitored when you walk away from the computer
• Avoid making bank transactions when you have multiple browsers open at one time
• Review your account’s historical reports on a regular basis to confirm your transaction activities
• Have sufficient antivirus and anti-malware protection on all of your devices to prevent viruses and malicious software from spreading
• Keep a firewall on your devices that can help monitor what data is coming in and out of your networks. You can also block certain internet sources

Learn More About Online Banking Security

Are you worried about the safety of your online bank account? You are not alone. Many people worry that their personal information or bank details will be stolen. Fortunately, your personal banking information is fairly safe due to advancements in technology that allow banks the ability to protect consumer data. However, it is still important to take extra precautions to protect your banking information. To learn more about online banking security best practices or to inquire about online banking services, contact the banking experts at FVCbank.

The post Online Banking Security Best Practices appeared first on FVCbank.