FNBT Joins ABA and Banks across the US for Anti-Phishing Campaign

Beloit, WI, October 1, 2021 – Today First National Bank and Trust (FNBT) joined the American Bankers Association and banks across the nation to promote an industry-wide campaign educating consumers about the persistent threat of phishing scams. The FTC estimates that consumers lost $3.3 billion to phishing schemes and other fraud in 2020, nearly double the losses in 2019. To combat phishing, the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign uses attention-grabbing humor and other engaging content to empower consumers to identify bogus bank communications asking for sensitive information like their passwords and social security numbers.

“Fraudsters are becoming more and more sophisticated,” said Lisa Zeimetz, senior vice president, risk and compliance officer at FNBT. “Our goal is to help our customer family become aware of the tricks hackers use to try to access your information. Working together with the ABA, we can educate consumers and empower them to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.”

“Phishing attempts have become even more prevalent during the pandemic making it more important than ever that consumers learn how to spot a scam,” said Paul Benda, senior vice president, operational risk and cybersecurity at ABA. “With help from participating banks like First National Bank and Trust, we’re teaching consumers how to spot phishing red flags so they can stay one step ahead of the scammers.”

FNBT, along with banks across the country and ABA, are kicking off the campaign on Oct. 1 to mark the beginning of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Throughout the month FNBT will consumer tips on social media and in to highlight common phishing schemes.

The campaign’s short videos offer questions that banks would never ask and direct consumers to BanksNeverAskThat.com where they will find a short quiz, videos, phishing red flags, tips and FAQs. For more information about phishing scams and how to stop fraudsters in their tracks, visit www.BanksNeverAskThat.com.

About First National Bank and Trust:

First National Bank and Trust Company is a family-focused, community bank headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin. Chartered in 1882, First National Bank and Trust has grown to be a leading financial services institution offering products and services for consumers and businesses, as well as trust, retirement services, investment management, brokerage and insurance. We now serve nearly 30,000 households in 13 communities and 16 locations in Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois with assets of approximately $1.4 billion. We treat our customers, employees, shareholders and communities like family, with a goal of helping all our families succeed. Providing Sound Advice and delivering an exceptional experience has positioned First National Bank and Trust as a Stateline leader in the industry. For additional information, visit www.bankatfirstnational.com.

First National Bank and Trust: “Give us a try. We’ll treat you like family.”

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