#BanksNeverAskThat

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and to celebrate, Bluestone Bank is participating in the American Bankers Association’s #BanksNeverAskThat campaign! Created to help people across America protect their bank accounts against fraud, #BanksNeverAskThat teaches you how to spot the red flags of a scam and take action if you think you’ve been victim to one.

Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts, and calls (phishing) from scammers pretending to be their bank, a loved one, the government, or law enforcement. And in this time of expanded use of online and mobile banking, the problem is only growing. In partnership with the American Bankers Association, we want to change that by raising awareness of best practices to ward off scammers.

Step 1: Learn the Red Flags of Phishing Scams.

[ The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to be scammed! ]

Phishing Emails

Phishing Texts

Phishing Phone Calls

Payment App Scams

Step 2: Beef Up Your Defenses.

[ Lock down your accounts! ]

MFA

Set up multifactor authentication on your bank and email login.

Strong Passwords

Use random or complex passwords that are difficult to guess.

Updated Browsers

Keep your browsers
up to date with the latest defenses.

Use Antivirus

Use defenses like virus protection and malware alerts.

Step 3: Got scammed? Take action.

[ If you believe you’ve been scammed, take these next steps. ]

Contact your bank.

Change your password and visit identitytheft.gov.

Report the scam to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

If you lost money, file a police report and a fraud alert¹.

¹To place a free, one-year fraud alert on your credit file, contact one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. This makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.

ACCESS THE FULL #BANKSNEVERASKTHAT TOOLKIT