Stay one step ahead of scammers by learning their go-to tricks.

Bad actors will often use the same tried-and-true methods to commit fraud against everyday consumers like you. While Amegy Bank has measures in place to help protect our clients against fraud, you can help act as the first line of defense by becoming familiar with the most common scams. 

Impersonation scams are when fraudsters pretend to be trusted organizations or individuals—like banks, businesses or the government—to steal money or personal information. These scams can appear as investment offers, fake fraud alerts or urgent bills.

Prevention tip: If you receive a concerning call or email from an organization, go to their website to contact them directly—NOT by clicking any links in the email. They’ll be able to tell you if the message you received is legitimate.

Email compromise is a much-used tool in impersonation scams, where fraudsters make an email seem like it came from a trusted source. They’ll often use screenshots to create an email that looks legitimate and urge you to act quickly to give them sensitive information or money.

Prevention tip: If an email prompts you to take urgent action—especially with money—take a breath before doing anything and look over the email. Does the email address have any tricky misspellings, or is it from a Gmail or other commercial account? These steps will help you spot fraud from a mile away.

A money mule scam often targets job hunters, but it can also be from “trusted” sources like online romantic partners or friends. In this scam, the victim will be asked to hold a large sum of money for someone, then transfer the money to a different account. Often, they’ll be told they can keep a portion of the money for their help.

Prevention tip: If a job offers “easy money” in its description, assume it’s too good to be true. Be sure to verify the legitimacy of the jobs you apply to, especially remote jobs, and don’t agree to hold money for them.

While check use is declining, check fraud is still a tried-and-true method for scammers to steal money. Fake checks, stolen checks and altered or “washed” checks can all be used to steal money from unsuspecting victims’ accounts.

Prevention tip: If possible, always use pens with indelible ink so they can’t be erased or altered, and shred any checks you receive after cashing them. You may also consider moving to digital payments instead for added security and less chance of losing your checks.

Older adult are popular targets for financial abuse, and they are among the most vulnerable when it comes to impersonation scams and the like. Often, they are targeted by bad actors because they are generally more trusting and less savvy about how modern fraudsters work.

Prevention tip: Talk to your parents or the other older adults in your life about how scammers operate, and discuss how they can call their bank or government office to verify the message they may have received. If appropriate, get their permission to access their account, so you can keep on eye on money flow.

Stay one step ahead of scammers by visiting our Fraud Prevention resource page, where you can learn more about various scams and how they target victims.

If you believe you have responded to or received a fraudulent email, contact Online Banking Support at 888-500-2960 (Mon - Sat, 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. CT). Also, forward any emails you believe are fraudulent to abuse@zionsbancorp.com.  

If you suspect someone has gained access to important personal information, such as your bank account number or your Social Security Number, and may use that information for illegal purposes or to withdraw money from your account, call 888-500-2960 (Mon - Sat, 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. CT).