It’s not uncommon these days to find yourself on the receiving end of a phishing email (or “vishing” or “smishing” if it’s via a phone call or text). No matter how you refer to it, these scams are typically from someone claiming to be from your financial institution or having knowledge about a personal financial matter of yours. 

Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in contacting consumers, which can make it harder to spot them right away. Fortunately, we have a few best practices to share with you for protecting you and your money so you can avoid sharing sensitive, personal information.

How Do I Know if It’s a Phishing Scam?

Some phishing scams are more obvious than others, but there are a handful of clues you can usually spot. 

Fake Websites

Scammers may create a fake bank website, which can easily mislead would-be bankers into disclosing financial information. These sites may even have the “Member FDIC” logo on it. If you’re unsure if the site you're on is legitimate or not, you can search for typos or misspelled words on the page (without clicking on any links). It’s also critical you notice if the bank name matches the name in the web address, or URL.

When in doubt about a legitimate banking website, you can also search the FDIC bank find database and confirm if the site belongs to it or not. 

Phishing Emails

Phishing scams may come directly to your inbox. Scammers will disguise themselves as from your financial institution or well-known banks and use malware to steal your bank account information, username, passwords, credit or debit card information, and more. Whatever you do, avoid clicking on any links in the email.

You can typically spot a phishing email by looking for typos, misspelled words, unusual fonts or font sizes, or if the email sounds “urgent.” It may even contain some type of coupon or attachment, and again, it’s essential you avoid clicking on them.

Tips for Dealing with Phishing Scams

Follow these safe practices for dealing with suspicious emails, calls, or texts, especially when disguised as a banking correspondence:

• Never click on any links or open any attachments if you suspect an email or text is fraudulent.
• Do not send any money or a gift card in response to an email, even if it looks like it came from a friend or family member.
• Do not respond to any urgent requests, either via phone or email, where you need to verify banking information.
• If you’re unsure if a banking email is legitimate, you can call the bank for confirmation or type in the bank’s website directly.

With a little diligence, you can avoid these phishing scams and keep your personal information safe. As a reminder, The Farmers Bank will never send an email, text message, or call you requesting account number, PIN or debit or credit card information.