We have received reports that local residents are receiving text messages claiming to be from Jewett City Savings Bank.  These text messages are not being sent by the bank or any other company representing the bank. If you receive a call or text message, do not disclose any personal or account information, do not respond to the text message, call any telephone number provided, or click on any website link provided.

Criminals use telephone scams (pretexting), text messages (SMiShing), and email messages (phishing) to attempt to get consumers to divulge account numbers, debit and credit card numbers, and other personal confidential information. Never respond to the messages or use the telephone numbers or website links provided. When there is a question about your account information, you should always contact the bank at a telephone number or website that you know to be legitimate (from a statement or receipt).

If you received a call or text message and provided your debit card number or other identifying account information, IMMEDIATELY call a branch office near you for assistance during business hours. After business hours, notify our HOT CARD Lost & Stolen Service at 1-800-264-5578.

You can learn more about pretexting and phishing from the Federal Trade Commission. If you received a telephone call or text message, you can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTCcomplaintassistant.gov.

In an effort to protect our customers from debit card fraud, we are now blocking all debit card transactions initiated in India due to an increase in fraudulent activity.  We also block all debit card transactions initiated in France, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cuba, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, and Romania.

In Great Britain, we are currently blocking signature-based and Internet debit card transactions. You will be able to process PIN-based transactions with your debit card in Great Britain.  In California and Illinois, we are currently blocking signature-based debit card transactions.

To report a lost or stolen debit card, contact the bank as soon as you become aware that your card is missing.  You may contact any branch office during business hours or call HOT CARD Lost & Stolen Services at 1-800-264-5578 after business hours.

If you suspect there may be fraudulent activity on your account, you must notify the bank immediately.

You can learn more about protecting your card or reporting fraudulent transactions by visiting the Federal Trade Commission website.

Jewett City Savings Bank will observe Money Smart Week, a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances, from April 20 – 27. According to Kevin C. Merchant, president and CEO, the Bank will offer free piggy banks and money-related activity books for children throughout the week.

Merchant also encouraged local youth organizations — Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, school groups, etc. — to contact their local Jewett City Savings Bank office to arrange a tour of the bank at any time during the year.

“In addition to being educational, a visit to the Bank can start young people thinking about their financial future, and that’s a great step in the right direction,” said Merchant.

Library Campaign
Jewett City Savings Bank has combined its observance of Money Smart Week with recognition of National Library Week.

For each checking account opened in April and May, 2013, the Bank will donate $10 to the library promotion, with the total to be shared by Aldrich Free Public Library in Moosup, Brooklyn Town Library, Killingly Public Library, Preston Public Library, and the Slater Library in Jewett City. The Bank’s donations will support summer reading programs at the libraries.

Click on the graphic to download a pdf of our free bookmarks!

Kevin C. Merchant, president and CEO of Jewett City Savings Bank, has announced a special initiative that will help local libraries.

For each checking account opened from April 8 through May 31, 2013, Jewett City Savings Bank will donate $10 to the library promotion, with the total to be shared by Aldrich Free Public Library in Moosup, Brooklyn Town Library, Killingly Public Library, Preston Public Library, and the Slater Library in Jewett City. The Bank’s donations will support summer reading programs at the libraries.

In addition, for each new fan of the Bank’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/jcsbank) during April and May, the Bank will donate an additional $1 to the library promotion. Visitors to any of the Bank’s offices during the same time period can enter for the chance to win a 7-inch, 16GB Kindle Fire™.

Other April events
The Bank also has two additional events planned during the month of April.

In observance of National Library Week, April 14 – 20, the Bank will give away bookmarks and information from local libraries. To celebrate Money Smart Week, a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances, the Bank will offer free piggy banks and money-related activity books for children during the week of April 20 – 27.

Jewett City Savings Bank has introduced a new interactive mortgage web center designed to enhance and streamline the mortgage application process, according to Kevin C. Merchant, president and CEO.

“Our goal is to combine leading-edge technology with the hometown bank service our neighbors have come to expect from Jewett City Savings Bank,” explained Merchant.

Visitors can securely apply for a new mortgage, refinancing, or even pre-approval in as little as 20 minutes, and receive an answer in moments. The new web center also offers a Rate Watch feature, providing subscribers with free notices of rate changes, calculators to allow users to choose the financing that best suits their particular needs, as well as a personalized rate quote from the Bank based on general information you provide.

The new mortgage web center can be found here.

Our 2012 Annual Report — “Hometown Banking 101” – has been published and is now available at all Bank branches and online.

Kevin C. Merchant, president and CEO, explained that the Report’s “textbook design” reinforces the Bank’s recent “Lessons in Hometown Banking” marketing campaign which stresses its commitment to both customers and community.

“Being your Hometown Bank goes so much further than products and services,” says Merchant in his President’s Letter. “It means working side-by-side with our neighbors to support our ongoing commitment to the well being of the communities we serve.”

The Annual Report also outlines the Bank’s growth, which reached nearly $245 million in assets at year end.

Prominent on the pages of the Report are stories and photos of the Bank’s involvement in the community, including the 2012 Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation’s support of  40 area non-profit organizations.

Copies of the Annual Report are free to the public, while supplies last.

America Saves is a national campaign that encourages individuals to set a goal, make a plan and save automatically, and Jewett City Savings Bank is proud to participate and raise awareness of this important initiative.  America Saves Week will run from February 25^th thru March 2^nd.

To help people save more successfully and encourage more people to save, Jewett City Savings Bank will offer a regular savings account that has a minimum opening balance amount of only $5.  And, for new savings accounts opened during America Saves Week, the monthly service fee of $2 that is imposed if the daily balance is below $200 will be temporarily waived for six months.  This gives new savers a chance to work up to the minimum balance, by saving just $10 a week, without being charged the monthly fee.

“America Saves Week is a great opportunity to help people in our community set a goal, make a plan, and save automatically,” said Kevin C. Merchant, President & CEO of Jewett City Savings Bank.  “With savings rates being so low and unemployment so high now is a crucial time to save for an emergency or a specific goal.”

Individuals can participate in the national movement by joining America Saves at americasaves.org/join.  As a saver, participants will receive a free subscription to the American Saver newsletter, can sign up for monthly email newsletters for tips and advice from national experts, and will have access to a number of interactive tools and resources.

America Saves Week is coordinated by America Saves and the America Savings Education Council.  The Week is an annual opportunity for organizations to promote good savings behavior and a chance for individuals to assess their own saving status.

Kevin C. Merchant, president of the Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation, announced today that the Foundation has awarded a total of $14,000 in grants and pledge commitments to four hospitals that provide care and health services in communities within the Bank’s primary service area.

Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, Backus Hospital in Norwich, Windham Hospital in Willimantic, and Natchaug Hospital in Mansfield Center each received a $1,000 gift from the Foundation in response to their annual appeal campaigns.

In addition, the Foundation provided the second $5,000 installment of a five-year $25,000 pledge to the Day Kimball Hospital Emergency Department campaign, and the first $5,000 installment on a five-year $25,000 pledge to the Backus Hospital Plainfield Emergency Care Center campaign.

Kevin C. Merchant, president of the Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation, announced today that a total of $15,800 was awarded to 23 local emergency services organizations during the Foundation’s most recent round of funding.

“The Foundation grants will help community ambulance and fire departments meet a variety of equipment needs and contribute to the support of their basic operations,” said Merchant.

He added that the recent grants are in addition to Jewett City Savings Bank’s annual support totaling $6,600 distributed to 11 fire departments located in its Griswold, Plainfield, and Brooklyn service areas.

2012 award recipients
The Foundation’s recent grants were awarded to: American Legion Ambulance of Moosup; Canterbury Volunteer Ambulance & Fire Dept.; Griswold Community Ambulance; Killingly/Brooklyn Ambulance Corps.; Lisbon Ambulance Service; and Mortlake Fire Co. & Ambulance Service in Brooklyn.

Also, fire departments in Attawaugan, Central Village, Danielson, Dayville, East Brooklyn, East Killingly, Griswold, Oneco, Plainfield, Poquetanuck, Preston City, South Killingly, Sterling, Voluntown, and Williamsville (Rogers); Atwood Hose in Wauregan; and A. A. Young Jr. Hose & Ladder Co. in Jewett City.

First Responders from local emergency services providers shown here with Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation President Kevin C. Merchant (left), are (l to r): Todd Babbitt, Fred Marzec, and Tom Holowaty of the Griswold Volunteer Fire Department, and Paul Barthelet Jr., A.A. Young Jr. Hose & Ladder Co. #1, Inc. in Jewett City.

Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation President Kevin C. Merchant (left) with recent grant recipients (l to r) Matt Desrosiers, Attawaugan Fire Department; Travis Irons, Central Village Fire Co. #1; Charles Kelleher, Borough of Danielson Fire Department; Joe Lee, South Killingly Fire Co.; David Willard, Atwood Hose Fire Company; Jeff Griffin, Oneco Fire Co. #1; Dean Roussel, Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.; and Shane Kettle, K.B. Ambulance Corps. Inc.

Kevin C. Merchant, president and CEO of Jewett City Savings Bank, has been elected to serve a second one-year term on the nine-member Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bankers Association (CBA).

The CBA represents state and federally chartered commercial banks, savings banks, savings and loans, and trust companies in legislative, regulatory and general banking issues in both Connecticut and Washington.

Merchant has also been re-elected to serve a two-year term as a director with the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, and he continues to serve as a director of the Eastern Connecticut Performing Arts Association. In addition, Merchant is a member of the Griswold Business Association, the Jewett City Main Street Committee, and the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.”

A Sterling resident, Merchant joined Jewett City Savings Bank in 1981 as an assistant vice president, and subsequently served as vice president and then senior vice president before being named president and CEO in 2007. He is a graduate of Norwich Free Academy and the Central Connecticut State University.