From romance and crypto scams, to mail theft and check fraud, efforts to trick people out of their hard-earned money—or steal it outright—are everywhere. At Bank of St. Francisville, customers can feel confident that their bank considers financial security to be of utmost importance. Bank leaders and tellers alike are working constantly to monitor suspicious transactions, and to alert customers to dangers when something doesn’t seem quite right.  

This means that, if any transaction for a known customer appears unusual or out-of-the-ordinary, bank employees are trained to be extra-vigilant, and may ask extra questions to confirm the validity of payments or withdrawals. It’s part of a proven strategy to identify and stop fraud attempts before they can succeed.  

“It’s our responsibility to be curious and ask the right questions to ensure we’ve done everything possible to help you avoid potential loss,” said BSF Chief Risk Officer Aimee Cook. “Our goal is always to act in your best interest.”
Scams come in many forms—hiding in seemingly innocuous business emails, texts from close friends or community leaders, or social media messages promising everything from business opportunities to love interest. With the rise of generative AI, scammers are even targeting people using phone calls, imitating familiar voices, or posing as representatives from known financial institutions. At the same time, banks are reporting an increase in fraud attempts including mail theft, wire fraud, check counterfeiting and forgery, and mobile deposit fraud.  

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While scammers and fraudsters often target the vulnerable, particularly the elderly or isolated, schemes like these can impact anyone, of any age, demographic, and level of education. Even if you’re not falling for social media messages professing undying love, you still might not spot the red flag when you get a text message about an overdue parking ticket, an old school friend urges you to invest in Bitcoin from a new social media account, you get a legitimate-sounding tech support email in your work inbox, or you receive a letter in the mail directing you to a website to sign up for “jury duty.”

“They’re targeting everyone,” Cook said. “That’s why we have to work together to protect what’s yours.”

Anytime something feels off, here are some good questions to ask yourself:

• Did I really win the lottery/sweepstakes/an unexpected inheritance?  

• Is the acquaintance asking to borrow money asking that I not tell anyone?  

• Is the person I’m speaking to who they say they are?  

The best way to avoid a scam is to avoid becoming an easy target in the first place.  

Some tips to safeguard yourself against falling victim to a financial scam include:

• Review your online transactions—daily if possible—as well as bank statements regularly to catch any discrepancies or unrecognized charges.

• If someone you only know virtually starts asking for money, be suspicious—especially if they claim that it’s “urgent.” Stop and take steps to validate their identity.

• Remember that a bank representative will never ask for your online credentials, such as a User ID, password, or PIN.  

• Remember that promises such as “high return, low risk” and “guaranteed profits” are warning signs. Even in the age of digital banking, the old adage still holds true: if something sounds too good to be true … it probably is.  

Working together, bank representatives and informed customers can beat scammers by staying vigilant, and practicing precautionary measures to prevent financial loss.  

To learn more about how Bank of St. Francisville is working to keep customers protected, visit Here.

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