Five Star Bank Will Never Ask That

Learn what we and other banks will never ask for, how to spot fraud attempts and where to find trusted security resources.

By Mark Laskoski, Director of Fraud Risk Management, Five Star Bank

If you’ve ever been the target of a scam or fraud attempt, you’re not alone. And, if you haven’t, there’s a good chance you will be in the future. Nearly three in four Americans have experienced a scam or fraud attempt and in 2025 scammers stole an estimated $68 billion from Americans. The good news is that there are several red flags you can watch for and key actions to take to keep yourself safe. Read on to learn what Five Star Bank will never ask you, key signs of a scam and how to respond if you think you’re being targeted. 

Banks Never Ask That 

Scammers often impersonate trusted organizations that people rely on, like banks. As your trusted financial partner, we want you to remember that there are a few things we will never ask you for. We will never ask you for your online banking password, secure access code or debit card PIN. We already have them and, if needed, we can reset them for you. If you receive a call, text or email pretending to be from us asking for these or other sensitive credentials, end the interaction immediately and call us to report it.  

Keep in mind that it’s not just Five Star Bank that won’t ask you for this kind of information. The American Bankers Association’s #BanksNeverAskThat campaign, which happens every October, is designed to help educate consumers about things that banks will never ask their customers to provide them. Visit www.BanksNeverAskThat.com to learn more.

Text Scams on the Rise 

A recent Consumer Reports study found that text messages now account for 30% of all digital scams and cyberattacks, exceeding both email and social media. 

Watch out for strange phone numbers, urgent warnings, grammar or spelling errors, suspicious links or requests for personal information, like account numbers, passwords or social security numbers. Don’t respond or click on links. Instead, call us to verify and report the message. 

Spotting Email Scams 

Unusual email addresses, misspelled words, suspicious URLs and unexpected attachments are all red flags of an email scam. In addition, scammers will often include scare tactics, like urgent warnings about security breaches or account closures. That’s why it’s important to slow down and do not click on anything. When in doubt, delete the email.   

Listen for Phone Scam Red Flags 

Phone scams employ many of the same tactics that text and email scams use, but they can be harder to spot for some because of a seemingly helpful voice on the other end of the line. Unusual numbers or caller IDs, unexpected calls or those pressuring you to take immediate action are all warning signs of a potential scam. And, just like text or email, a caller asking you to share personal information like your account number, social security number or password is likely a fraudster. Hang up and call us directly instead of sharing any information.   

More Resources 

At BanksNeverAskThat.com, you can learn about other common red flags, test your knowledge and get practical advice on how to respond.  

The Five Star Bank Security Center is also a great resource that’s designed to inform you about potential threats and provide you with the tools and knowledge to help protect your accounts.  

Mark Laskoski