Banks Never Ask That!

Updated October 2026

Do you know how to keep yourself safe from fraud? With help from the American Bankers Association’s Banks Never Ask That campaign, we compiled a list of strategies to help you guard against common scams.

Email Phishing

Have you ever received a random email that pressures you to click a link or open an attachment? An average of 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent by scammers daily. Nothing good comes from clicking unexpected links or opening attachments from unusual email addresses! Do not click any links within strange emails and delete them immediately.

Text Scams

One of the most common forms of phishing is through text message. Scammers will send a text claiming to be from a reputable business or organization, pushing you to tap the link inside. If you tap the link, the scammer could steal your personal information or gain access to your device. If you receive a link in an unexpected text message, delete the message immediately!

Phone Scams

If you receive a random phone call claiming to be from your bank or another trusted organization, be careful. Banks and reputable companies will never ask for your full Social Security number or other personal information over the phone. If they do, hang up the phone and call back on an official listed number.

Verification Code Scams

Scammers may contact you pretending to be from your bank and ask you to share a verification code sent to your phone or email. Banks will never ask you for a one-time login or verification code. If someone asks you to provide a code, do not share it. Hang up or stop responding and contact your bank directly using a trusted phone number.

Report Your Experience

If you’ve been the victim of a scam that impacts your accounts with us, contact us right away at (518) 793-4121. We are here to help! We have trained professionals on staff who help customers fight fraud. If you’ve lost money, you’ll want to file a police report. You can also report your experience to the Federal Trade Commission.