Fraud is showing up in everyday moments where scammers are pretending to be someone you know, pressuring you to take action and often asking you to pay in a specific way.
At FirsTier Bank, we’re committed to helping our customers stay one step ahead. In this article, we’ll share the most common tactics used in email, text, and phone scams — and steps you can take to protect your information with confidence.
3 signs it’s a scam:
- Scammers PRETEND to be from an organization you know.
Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of your bank, the IRS, Social Security Administration or a business you know. They often use technology to change the phone number that appears on your caller ID.
- Scammers PRESSURE you to act immediately.
Scammers want you to act before you have time to think. Some will say there’s a problem with one of your accounts and that you need to verify some information, or that someone in your family had an emergency or that there’s a virus on your computer.
- Scammers tell you to PAY in a specific way.
Scammers often insist that you can only pay by wiring money, using cryptocurrency, or using a payment app.
How to avoid these scams:
- Block unwanted calls and text messages.
- Don’t give out personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect. Your bank won’t call, email, or text to ask for your personal information.
- Don’t feel pressured. Don’t click on any links and hang up if you’re suspicious.
We’re here to help you stay safe and protect your accounts. If we can assist you further, please contact your local branch.