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BANKS NEVER ASK THAT!

Every day, people lose hundreds, even thousands of dollars to scammers imitating
banks. If a scammer was pretending to be your bank, could you tell the
difference?


DON'T FALL FOR FAKE. KEEP YOUR MONEY SAFE BY LEARNING THE RED FLAGS OF PHISHING.

Play your way to safety.
PLAY SCAM CITY


DON'T FALL FOR FAKE. KEEP YOUR MONEY SAFE BY LEARNING THE RED FLAGS OF PHISHING.

Learn more

Play your way to safety.
PLAY SCAM CITY
 * Learn
 * Protect
 * Act
 * Videos
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 * Share Tips
 * FAQs

Learn Protect Act Videos Play Scam City Share Tips FAQs


GET SCAM SMART.

Every day regular people like you lose their hard-earned money to online
phishing scams. Don’t fall for fake — learn how to spot shady texts, emails, and
phone calls by knowing the things your bank would never ask.



RULE 1: BE ALERT


STAY SAFE FROM SCAMS WITH THESE TIPS


EMAIL SCAMS

1. AVOID CLICKING SUSPICIOUS LINKS

If an email pressures you to click a link — whether it’s to verify your login
credentials  or make a payment, you can be sure it’s a scam. Banks never ask you
to do that. It’s best to avoid clicking links in an email. Before you click,
hover over the link to reveal where it really leads. When in doubt, call your
bank directly, or visit their website by typing the URL directly into your
browser.

2. RAISE THE RED FLAG ON SCARE TACTICS

Banks will never use scare tactics, threats, or high-pressure language to get
you to act quickly, but scammers will. Demands for urgent action should put you
on high alert. No matter how authentic an email may appear, never reply with
personal information like your password, PIN, or social security number.

3. WATCH FOR ATTACHMENTS AND TYPOS

Your bank will never send attachments like a PDF in an unexpected email.
Misspellings and poor grammar are also warning signs of a phishing scam.

4. BE SKEPTICAL OF EVERY EMAIL

In the same way defensive driving prevents car accidents, always treating
incoming email as a potential risk will protect you from scams. Fraudulent
emails can appear very convincing, using official language and logos, and even
similar URLs. Always be alert.


PHONE CALL SCAMS

1. DON’T RELY ON CALLER ID

Scammers can make any number or name appear on your caller ID. Even if your
phone shows it’s your bank calling, it could be anyone. Always be wary of
incoming calls.

2. NEVER GIVE SENSITIVE INFORMATION

Never share sensitive information like your bank password, PIN, or a one-time
login code with someone who calls you unexpectedly — even if they say they’re
from your bank. Banks may need to verify personal information if you call them,
but never the other way around. 

3. WATCH OUT FOR A FALSE SENSE OF URGENCY

Scammers count on getting you to act before you think, usually by including a
threat.  Banks never will. A scammer might say “act now or your account will be
closed,” or even “we’ve detected suspicious activity on your account” — don’t
give in to the pressure. 

4. HANG UP — EVEN IF IT SOUNDS LEGIT

Whether it’s a scammer impersonating your bank or a real call, stay safe by
ending unexpected calls and dialing the number on the back of your bank card
instead.


TEXT MESSAGE SCAMS

1. SLOW DOWN — THINK BEFORE YOU ACT

Acting too quickly when you receive phishing text messages can result in
unintentionally giving scammers access to your bank account — and your money.
Scammers want you to feel confused and rushed, which is always a red flag. Banks
will never threaten you into responding, or use high-pressure tactics. 

2. DON’T CLICK LINKS

Never click on a link sent via text message — especially if it asks you to sign
in to your bank account. Scammers often use this technique to steal your
username and password. When in doubt, visit your bank’s website by typing the
URL directly into your browser or log in to your bank’s mobile app. 

3. NEVER SEND PERSONAL INFORMATION

Your bank will never ask for your PIN, password, or one-time login code in a
text message. If you receive a text message asking for personal information,
it’s a scam.

4. DELETE THE MESSAGE

Don’t risk accidentally replying to or saving a fraudulent text message on your
phone. If you are reporting the message to law enforcement or the FTC, take a
screenshot to share, then delete it.


MOBILE PAYMENT APP SCAMS

1. BE WARY OF TEXTS OR CALLS ABOUT PAYMENT APPS

Payment app scams often start with a phone call or text. If you get an
unexpected call, just hang up. If you get an unexpected text, delete it. Even
when they seem legitimate, you should always verify by calling your bank or
payment app’s customer service number.

2. USE PAYMENT APPS TO PAY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ONLY

Don’t send money to someone you don’t know or have never met in person. These
payment apps are just like handing cash to someone.

3. RAISE THE ALARM ON URGENT PAYMENT REQUESTS

Scammers rely on creating a sense of urgency to get you to act without thinking.
They might claim your account is in danger of being closed, or threaten you with
legal action. These high-pressure tactics are red flags of a scam — a real bank
would never use them.

4. AVOID UNUSUAL PAYMENT METHODS

Banks will never ask you to pay bills using a payment app, or ask you to send
money to yourself. Scammers can “spoof” email addresses and phone numbers on
caller ID to look like they’re from your bank, even when they’re not. When in
doubt, reach out to your bank directly by calling the number on the back of your
card.


WANT A DEEPER LOOK INTO SCAM SAFETY?

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

RULE 2: BEEF UP YOUR DEFENSES


LOCK DOWN YOUR ACCOUNTS



RULE 2: BEEF UP YOUR DEFENSES


LOCK DOWN YOUR ACCOUNTS

 * Set up multi-factor authentication on your bank and email login.
 * Use random or complex passwords.
 * If you receive a text or call from your bank, hang up and call the number on
   the back of your card.
 * Keep your browsers up-to-date with the latest defenses, like virus protection
   and malware alerts.

RULE 3: TAKE ACTION


STAY SAFE FROM SCAMS WITH THESE TIPS

Contact your bank.


Change your passwords and visit IdentityTheft.gov

Report the scam to the FTC.


If you lost money, file a police report.

WATCH THE VIDEOS


DON'T TRASH YOUR CASH.


KNOW WHAT BANKS NEVER ASK.

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AMERICANS LOST $5.8 BILLION TO PHISHING AND OTHER FRAUD IN 2021, A 70% INCREASE
FROM 2020.

Source: Federal Trade Commission 2021


PLAY SCAM CITY

Danger lurks around every corner. Play your way to phishing safety by dodging,
jumping and ducking different scams.

PLAY NOW




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FAQS

What is phishing?

Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals make fraudulent emails, phone
calls and texts that appear to come from a legitimate bank. Every year, people
lose hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to these scams. The communication is
designed to trick you into entering confidential information (like account
numbers, passwords, PINs or birthdays) into a fake website by clicking on a
link, or to tell it to someone imitating your bank on the phone.

What to do if you receive a scam email, call or text.

EMAIL OR TEXT

If you suspect that an email or text you receive is a phishing attempt:
 * Take a deep breath. In most cases, it’s perfectly safe to open a scam email
   or text. Modern mail apps, like Gmail, detect and block any code or malware
   from running when you open an email. The key is not to click links or
   download any attachments. 
 * Do not download any attachments in the message. Attachments may contain
   malware such as viruses, worms or spyware.
 * Do not click links that appear in the message. Links in phishing messages
   direct you to fraudulent websites.
 * Do not reply to the sender. Ignore any requests from the sender and do not
   call any phone numbers provided in the message. 
 * Report it. Help fight scammers by reporting them. Forward suspected phishing
   emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you
   got a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726). Then, report the
   phishing attack to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

CALL

If you receive a phone call that seems to be a phishing attempt:
 * Hang up or end the call. Be aware that area codes can be misleading. If your
   Caller ID displays a local area code, this does not guarantee that the caller
   is local.
 * Do not respond to the caller’s requests. Financial institutions and
   legitimate companies will never call you to request your personal
   information. Never give personal information to the incoming caller.
 * If you feel you’ve been the victim of a scam, and you did provide personal or
   financial information, contact your bank immediately at their publicly listed
   customer service number. Often, this is found on the back of your bank card.
   Be sure to include any relevant details, such as whether the suspicious
   caller attempted to impersonate your bank and whether you provided any
   personal or financial information to the suspicious caller.

What to do if you fall for a scam email, call or text.
 1. Contact your bank, financial institutions and creditors
    * Speak with the fraud department and explain that someone has stolen your
      identity.
    * Request to close or freeze any accounts that may have been tampered with
      or fraudulently established.
    * Make sure to change your online login credentials, passwords and PINs.
 2. Secure your email and other communication accounts
    * Many people reuse passwords and your email or cell phone account may be
      compromised as well.
    * Immediately change your accounts’ passwords and implement multi-factor
      authentication — a setting that prevents cybercriminals from accessing
      your accounts, even if they know your password — if you haven’t already
      done so.
 3. Check your credit reports and place a fraud alert on them
    * Get a free copy of your credit report from annualcreditreport.com or call
      877.322.8228.
    * Review your credit report to make sure unauthorized accounts have not been
      opened in your name.
    * Report any fraudulent accounts to the appropriate financial institutions.
    * Place a fraud alert on your credit by contacting one of the three credit
      bureaus. That company must tell the other two.
      – Experian: 888.397.3742 or experian.com
      – TransUnion: 800.680.7289 or transunion.com
      – Equifax: 888.766.0008 or equifax.com
 4. Contact ChexSystems at 888.478.6536 to place a security alert on the
    compromised checking and savings accounts when a deposit account has been
    impacted. Or, make your report to ChexSystems online.
    
    
 5. Contact the Federal Trade Commission to report an ID theft incident: visit
    identitytheft.gov or call 877.438.4338.
    
    
 6. File a report with your local law enforcement.
    * Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may
      require proof of the crime.

Where can I find my bank’s fraud guidelines?

Most banks publish specific guidelines for their customers. To find your bank’s
recommendations, just type your bank’s name and “fraud guidelines” into any
modern search engine.


FOOTER

About | Copyright © 2022 American Bankers Association




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