Every year, vulnerable Americans suffer losses of over $28 billion due to financial exploitation, as reported 1 by the AARP. Shockingly, only a quarter of all frauds against the elderly are reported to law enforcement. At First Bank & Trust, a division of HTLF Bank, we are dedicated to safeguarding our vulnerable customers...

Click here to view an important note before clicking on links within the video. Join host Emily Stevens, Senior Marketing Professional at HTLF, in a thought-provoking conversation with Tracy Swaim, Fraud Risk Manager, and John Fick, Fraud Director at HTLF. This conversation involves the intricacies...

Cryptocurrency scam threats continue to grow and are now the preferred payment method for fraudsters. According to the Federal Trade Commission in 2022, cryptocurrency was the most common payment method for fraudulent activity, with approximately $2 billion in transfers. Here’s an overview of...

Protecting our seniors from scams is crucial. Learn effective defensive tactics against scams targeting seniors to safeguard their finances. Don't let scammers take advantage! After a life of hard work, many baby boomers are now transitioning into their golden years. Perhaps you have already retired...

Bad actors have more than one tactic to get your attention on social media – they may also try to get their victims to join in on bank fraud schemes. Don’t become a victim of these fraudsters and their schemes. Read on to learn how to help protect yourself. Scammers are using social media platforms...

Have you ever received a call from someone pretending to be from a business, bank, or government agency, but it turned out to be a SCAM? These are called “imposter scams”, and they are one of the fastest growing and most devastating schemes out there today. Read on to learn more about imposter scams...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently released a report of the top reported consumer frauds of 2022. The most frequently reported frauds involved imposter scams, with the vast majority of the fraudsters having contacted their victim by phone call or text message. Imposter scams can take many...

If you get an SMS message supposedly from your bank about a fraud alert, be wary. The scheme tries to scare you into believing the scammers are representatives of your bank. An automated SMS message will appear on your phone, claiming to be a fraud alert from a banking institution. It’ll then ask if...

Three Ways to Reduce Risk When Making Online Purchases In these uncertain times, there are lots of fraudsters trying to take advantage of you. One of the areas being targeted is online fraud. Fraudsters are trying to steal your personal information so it’s important you protect yourself. Here are...

What you need to know regarding ATM Skimming Devices As a reminder that fraud comes in all forms, skimming devices are a constant threat and due diligence needs to be used when paying with your debit and credit cards. A skimming device is a piece of equipment fraudsters attach over card readers at...

Your Online Profile Got Hacked — Now What? Few things can bring on a sense of panic and confusion quicker than realizing that your financial information is compromised. Whether you find yourself unable to access your online app because the password has changed, notice fraudulent charges made to your...

Scammers look to take an advantage whenever they can and a popular method is to take over an email account. This can be very unnerving, but it’s important to take action immediately after you recognize that your email account has been hacked. Follow these steps to get your email account back in...