Toss or Shred?

Free Shred Day will take place on Saturday, May 3 from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at our Headquarters (3330 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50266). For most people, the arrival of spring also means the arrival of spring cleaning. Looking at your stack of mail or your overflowing file cabinets, it can be […]

What are Deepfakes?

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we can now expand that to, “Don’t believe everything you see or hear.” AI can be a helpful tool that enhances efficiency, security, and customer experiences. When used by criminals, it has the ability to […]

Elderly Financial Exploitation Fraud Spotlight – “Grandparent” Scam

Elderly Financial Exploitation (EFE) is a growing form of fraud that targets older adults. Criminals seek to gain the elderly’s trust in order to convince them into sending money. In conjunction with the growing development of artificial intelligence resources to make scams seem more realistic, elderly fraud continues to rise. In 2022, the FBI reported […]

West Bank Opens New Office in Owatonna

On January 21, 2025, West Bank opened a new, state-of-the-art building located at 328 Hoffman Drive NW. Expanded banking services at this location include the introduction of a 24-hour walk-up ATM and Interactive Teller Machine. The building’s impressive architecture features a patio with views of the riverfront for special events and gatherings. The West Bank […]

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Finances

The beginning of the year is filled with New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not focus on enhancing your financial well-being? Create a Budget Spending and saving habits can fluctuate over the years. When was the last time you sat down and created a budget? Even if it has only been a year since you […]

Generative AI Being Used to Commit Financial Fraud

On December 3, 2024, the FBI issued a warning on generative artificial intelligence (AI) being used to commit financial fraud. Criminals are using AI-generated text, images, audio, and videos to trick victims into sending money and providing sensitive information. The FBI shared the following tips to help protect yourself from AI-generated fraud: Create a secret […]

Get Ready for 2025 with 5 Online Safety Tips

With the new year right around the corner, you can start 2025 on the right foot by protecting your accounts and personal information with these five key online safety tips. 1. Use Multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible. MFA is an electronic security process that requires more than one method of identity verification to gain access […]

Debit Card Safety This Holiday Season

For a payment method that has been around since the late 1960s, debit cards have remained a trustworthy form of transacting for American consumers. According to the J.D. Power 2024 Debit Card Satisfaction Survey, 72% of customers say they use a debit card at the point of sale, as compared to cash, credit cards, and […]

Jon Hummel Honored by American Bankers Association with 2024 Emerging Leader Award

Jon Hummel, Vice President, Commercial Banker at West Bank was honored by the American Bankers Association as a recipient of the 2024 ABA Emerging Leaders Award. This award recognizes the next generation of bank leaders who are committed to the highest standards of achievement and service to both their industry and their local communities. Hummel […]

Has Elderly Financial Exploitation Taken Place?

Has financial elder abuse taken place? Elderly financial exploitation (EFE) occurs when someone in a position of trust knowingly influences, deceives, coerces, frauds, or extorts control over an elderly individual. To figure out if elderly financial exploitation has occurred, Iowa Legal Aid suggests answering the following questions. 1. Does the exploiter have a position of […]