BanksNeverAskThat

Thursday, September 24, 2026 - Financial Security

#BanksNeverAskThat is an industry-wide consumer education campaign launched by the American Bankers Association (ABA) and thousands of participating U.S. banks to help people spot and avoid phishing scams. www.banksneveraskthat.com

Phishing scams are fraudulent messages designed to steal your sensitive data, money, or account credentials by mimicking trusted organizations. Protecting yourself requires staying vigilant, verifying communication channels, and keeping your security software updated.

How to Spot a Phishing Scam

Urgent language: Messages often demand immediate action by threatening account closure, legal action, or missing a limited-time reward.

Mismatched URLs: Hover over links before clicking to check if the actual destination matches the legitimate company website.

Generic greetings: Phishing emails frequently use vague salutations like "Dear Customer" instead of your actual name.

Suspicious senders: Check the sender’s full email address (not just the display name) for spelling variations or random domains.

Unexpected attachments: Be wary of unexpected invoices, shipping receipts, or account statements attached as files.

Critical Safety Actions

Never click directly: If you suspect an alert is real, navigate to the organization's official website or app independently rather than clicking the link in the message.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA): MFA provides an extra layer of defense, making it harder for scammers to access your accounts even if they steal your password.

Report the message: Use your email provider's "Report Phishing" button.

Keep software updated: Regular security patches protect your browser and operating system from malicious downloads.