At Heartland Bank and Trust Company, we are steadfast in our commitment to protecting our customers from fraud. We dedicate ourselves to vigilant customer service, ongoing education and immediate action when suspicious activity is detected. Our priority is to ensure that every customer feels safe, supported and empowered to recognize and resist scams. Your security is our highest responsibility: This story illustrates that commitment.
One afternoon at a Heartland Bank branch, a known customer approached the assistant manager at the teller line. The customer told the assistant manager she had a lot of personal stuff going on and needed to withdraw $25,000 for her daughter. Having worked with the customer in the past, the assistant manager noticed that she was not acting like her usual self. Due to her odd behavior, the assistant manager asked her retail manager for assistance in talking with the customer regarding the withdrawal. It only took a few of the right questions for the customer to admit she may have fallen victim to a scam. In fact, she still had the fraudster on the phone in her purse. Once she admitted this, the branch was able to confirm it was a scam and advised her to hang up the phone.
Note: Scammers keep victims on the phone because it increases the chance the victim completes the withdrawal and reduces the chance anyone interrupts. If the victim hangs up, they might talk to a spouse, friend, or bank employee and hear “this is a scam.” Staying on the line keeps the scammer as the only influence. Silence gives the victim time to think and notice inconsistencies. Continuous conversation keeps the victim emotionally activated (fear, urgency, authority pressure) so they don’t pause and reassess. The scammer can listen for cues that someone else is present, if the victim is being questioned, or if they’re hesitating—they can adjust tactics immediately.
The customer was unclear about some of the details because she was in shock, and it was hard for her to remember. She stated she had received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the FCC and there was a problem with her account. At some point, she believed she was transferred to an individual who was from Heartland Bank. Somehow, the fraudster convinced her that she needed to visit the bank and withdraw $25,000 in cash. After she withdrew the funds, she was to “trade” her cash for a cashier’s check. Thankfully, the branch recognized the scam and was able to educate the customer who agreed not to take the cash.
The assistant manager’s ability to realize the customer’s unordinary behavior, involve her retail manager and uncover the scam prevented a $25,000 loss to the customer!
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We invest in secure digital banking, fraud monitoring and identity verification measures to help protect you. But your awareness is just as important.
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