October 2022
Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. We want to change that by raising awareness and sharing a few best practices for phishing defense. To do that, we've teamed up with the American Banker's Association and the Banks Never Ask That campaign. The goal of the campaign is to turn the tables on the bad guys by empowering consumers with the tools they need to spot bogus bank communications.
Think that call, text or email might be a trick? Review these red flags, because #BanksNeverAskThat.:
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High-pressure language
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Scare tactics
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A sense of urgency
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Ask for sensitive account info
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Ask for passwords or your Social Security number
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Ask for your PIN or a login code that’s texted to you
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Ask you to visit an unfamiliar website
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Ask you to call a number different than the one listed on your card
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Incorrect grammar
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Unprofessional language
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Multiple typos
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Email attachments
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Suspicious links
The best offense? A good defense. Lock down your accounts before scammers strike.
- Set up multi-factor authentication on your bank and email login.
- Use random or complex passwords.
- Call your bank directly, or log in to your account, to verify messages or emails received.
- Keep your browser up-to-date with the latest defenses, like virus protection and malware alerts.
What should you do if you get a call, text or email and are suspicious?
When in doubt, contact the bank directly and ask if the call, text or email you got is legitimate. There are times when we do need more information from you, such as when you are opening a new account or have applied for a loan. In that case, we will tell you why we need the information and what it will be used for.
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