FDIC-Insured - Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government

Protect Yourself From Financial Fraud

Stay up to date on different kinds of fraud – and fraud prevention tips – so you can help protect your personal and financial information. 

hands typing at a laptop with email icon overlay

Imposter Scams

SCAM OF THE MONTH

Do you know who you’re talking to?

Imposter scams generally take place when criminals impersonate a trusted figure, company, or website to steal your personal information, take over your account, or influence you to send payments for fraudulent purposes. These scams may be carried out through an email (phishing), phone call from a falsified number (vishing), text message (smishing), or social media message.

Read More

What You Need To Know About Scams

There are many ways that you can protect yourself against scammers.

hands typing at a laptop with fraud logo overlay

Learn about recent scams on the Federal Trade Commission website.

Scammers look to gain access to your sensitive account information during times of heightened fear and confusion. They are using messaging associated with the COVID-19 pandemic as a lure to solicit your account information. Some examples include:

  • Unemployment Fraud - Recent scams involve false claims for unemployment benefits using personal information of individuals who have not filed claims.
  • Fake Websites – Cyberthieves are creating websites that collect your personal information under the guise of providing you with important Coronavirus updates.
  • Government and Health Organization Emails – Scammers disguising themselves as organizations, like Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO), are contacting individuals by email regarding a range of topics such as Coronavirus cures, account validation for stimulus checks, and attachments touted to be necessary paperwork for unemployment benefits, or confirmation for stimulus payments.

As scammers become more sophisticated, it is important to understand the signs of fraud and best security practices. The most chosen delivery method of these scams is through Phishing: emails, texts, or phone calls claiming to be from reputable sources tricking you to fall victim to their scams.

  • These fraud techniques are designed to mislead you into providing personal information such as:
  • Account numbers
  • PINs
  • Social Security numbers
  • Login credentials (username and password)
  • Answers to security questions (your mother’s maiden name, for example)

Please be aware, M&T will never notify you over the phone, through email, or text message to:

  • Tell you that your account has been “locked” or “restricted"
  • Ask you to "verify" or "confirm" your personal information
  • Request your PIN, passcode, account details, and/or your Social Security Number

It is M&T Policy that we do NOT initiate a request for personal information via email. Unless you initiate the contact or we are completing an application for you, M&T will NOT request personal information.

If you get these or similar requests from any organization, please do not respond.

DOs:

  • Check the sender’s name for familiarity and authenticity. Does the email address or phone number match who the sender is claiming to be? 
  • Check for grammatical errors in emails and text messages. Does the message contain misspelled names or words?  
  • Check for a threatening message. Does the message warn you that your account has been hacked or locked? Does it claim that your personal information is at stake?
  • Check for suspicious attachments and refrain from opening. Does the message contain an attachment that you didn’t request?

DON’Ts:

  • Never provide any account or login credentials to unsolicited emails, texts, or phone calls.n’t request?
  • Never click on links or open attachments within electronic communications when in doubt or if they appear to be suspicious.

To help protect your personal and financial information, here are some preventive tips that you can start implementing today:

  • Review your password strength. It is recommended to use a different username and password for your bank in the event one of your other online accounts is hacked. 
  • Make sure your personal information, like your mobile phone number and email address, is up to date so that M&T can quickly reach you if we notice suspicious activity.
  • Learn about EZShield{{d426*}} for your personal accounts, that can help protect your identity and receive expert protection tips, timely breach news, and fraud alerts.
  • Stay notified and secure with M&T Alerts{{d9*}} through M&T Online and Mobile Banking. Track balances and get warnings about personal account activity via email, text, or app notification. 

Ongoing Scams

Remote Access Fraud

A legitimate business won’t ask for remote access to your devices. Learn more on how to detect this scam.

Learn More

Fake Text Message Signs

Learn how to identify a fake text message before you lose anything.

Learn More

Email Scam Signs

Learn more about how scammers try to trick you by emails.

Learn More

What to Do if You Suspect Fraud

Forward any suspicious emails to phishing@mtb.com that appear to be from M&T and request that you click on a link to enter your login credentials or personal information. If you are in doubt, delete the text, forward the email to us, or hang up the call.

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud related to your M&T accounts, notify us immediately at 1-800-724-2440 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), so we can take action to help you.

If you have received a suspicious text message, you can optionally report it to your wireless provider by copying the message and forwarding it to 7726.

7726, which spells SPAM, has been designated by The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) as a number for reporting suspicious and spam text messages to most major U.S. and global wireless providers