#BanksNeverAskThat 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 + Email scams account for 96 percent of all phishing attacks, making email the most popular tool for scammers. Often, the scammer will disguise the email to look and sound like it’s from your bank. Watch for these red flags if you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from your bank: Suspicious email address Typos or unusual grammar Urgent language Hyperlinks—never click them Attachments—never open them Phishing Texts + Phishing text messages attempt to trick you into sharing personal information likeyour password, PIN, or social security number to gain access to your bank account.As long as you don’t respond to these messages and delete them instead, your information is safe. All you need to do is spot the signs of a scam before you click or reply. Watch for these red flags if you receive a suspicious text claiming to be from your bank: Unusual phone numbers—banks typically only text from a 4–5-digit number Hyperlinks—your bank will never ask you to log into your account by texting a link Odd grammar Scare tactics and urgent language Texts asking you to open a link Phishing Phone Calls + Scammers sometimes try to cheat you out of your money by impersonating yourbank over the phone. In some scams, they act friendly and helpful. In others, they’llthreaten or scare you. Scammers will often ask for your personal information or getyou to send them money. Banks never will. Stay safe with these tips if you receive a suspicious phone call claiming to be from your bank: Watch out for a false sense of urgency Never give sensitive information Don’t rely on Caller ID Payment App Scams + Scams using payment apps such as Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle®, aregrowing more and more prevalent as those platforms become increasinglypopular. Once you’re hooked, it only takes seconds for a scammer to accessyour hard-earned cash. Stay safe with these tips when using payment apps: Be wary of texts or calls about payment apps Use payment apps to pay friends and family only Raise the alarm on urgent payment requests Avoid unusual payment methods Step 2: Beef Up Your Defenses. [ Lock down your accounts! ] #1 MFA Set up multifactor authentication on your bank and email login. #2 Strong Passwords Use random or complex passwords that are difficult to guess. #3 Updated Browsers Keep your browsers up to date with the latest defenses. #4 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. ] #1 Contact your bank. #2 Change your password and visit identitytheft.gov. #3 Report the scam to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. #4 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
