October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to take a closer look at how we protect our personal information, devices and financial accounts. But staying safe online isn’t just about having strong passwords or updated software. It’s also about recognizing when someone is trying to trick you.

That’s where the American Bankers Association’s Banks Never Ask That campaign comes in. This campaign helps consumers recognize common red flags that can signal a scam, and one of the most important lessons is simple—your bank will never ask for certain information or tell you to take certain actions.

Stop and Think Before You Click

Scammers often use emails and text messages that appear to come from your bank. They may warn that your account has been compromised, tell you that a payment needs to be verified or threaten to close your account unless you act immediately. These messages are designed to make you panic.

Before clicking a link, stop and ask yourself: Was I expecting this message? Does something about it feel unusual? Be especially cautious of messages that ask you to click a link, open an attachment or provide personal information. The American Bankers Association recommends looking for unusual email addresses, suspicious URLs, unexpected attachments, spelling or grammar mistakes and scare tactics.

When in doubt, don’t use the link or phone number provided in the message. Instead, visit your bank’s official website or call the number on the back of your debit or credit card.

Remember: Banks Never Ask That

Scammers may also contact you by phone and pretend to be a bank employee. Caller ID can be spoofed, so seeing a familiar bank name or phone number doesn’t necessarily mean the call is legitimate.

A real bank will not ask you to provide your password, PIN or one-time login code during an unsolicited call. If someone pressures you to share sensitive information or take immediate action, hang up and contact your bank directly using a trusted phone number.

The same principle applies to payment apps. If someone claiming to be your bank tells you to send money to yourself, it’s likely a scam. Be suspicious of unexpected requests to send money, claims that someone accidentally overpaid you or messages containing links to payment app login pages.

Make Cybersecurity a Habit

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a good reminder that protecting yourself is an ongoing process. In addition to recognizing scams, take a few minutes this month to strengthen your digital security by considering the following methods:

• Use strong, unique passwords for your accounts
• Enable multi-factor authentication whenever it’s available
• Keep your phone, computer and other devices updated
• Use reputable antivirus software on your computer
• Be cautious about what information you share online

Most importantly, slow down. Scammers want you to react before you have time to think. If a message, call or request feels unusual, take a moment to verify it independently.

And remember the easiest rule of all: Banks Never Ask That.

For more information and resources, visit BanksNeverAskThat.com and test your scam-spotting skills with the campaign’s interactive quiz.

If you believe you’ve been the victim of fraud or a scam on a Busey account, contact our Customer Care team, visit your local Banking Center to place a fraud alert on your account or follow these steps outlined by the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. You can also read Busey’s Fraud Prevention FAQs or check out our Fraud Prevention Toolkit for more information.