NEWS RELEASE
MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL
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LANSING — To kick off National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined the Michigan Bankers Association (MBA) to promote #BanksNeverAskThat, a nationwide campaign educating consumers about the persistent threat of phishing scams.
NCPW, sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission, aims to help people understand their consumer rights and avoid fraud and scams. The week runs from March 2 to 8.
“I’m excited to work with the Michigan Bankers Association on the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign to help Michiganders remain vigilant against scammers looking to steal their hard-earned money,” Nessel said. “Remember to never reply to any suspicious text, email, or phone call, and be sure to report phishers to the FTC, Anti-Phishing Working Group, and my Department.”
To spot phishing scams, just remember “Banks Never Ask That.”
- If you receive an email, text, or phone call asking for confidential information, it’s a definite red flag. It’s better to be safe than sorry. End the call, delete the text, and trash the email, because banks never ask that!
- You may be asked to verify confidential information if you call your bank, but never the other way around. If you receive an incoming call from someone claiming to be your bank, the safest thing you can do is hang up and call your bank’s customer service number on the back of your debit or credit card.
If you receive a suspicious email or text:
- Do not download any attachments in the message. Attachments may contain malware such as viruses, worms or spyware.
- Do not click links that appear in the message. Links in phishing messages direct you to fraudulent websites.
- Do not reply to the sender. Ignore any requests from the sender and do not call any phone numbers provided in the message.
- Report it. Help fight scammers by reporting them. Forward suspected phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at [email protected]. If you got a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726). Then, report the phishing attack to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.
If you receive a suspicious phone call:
- If you receive a phone call that seems to be a phishing attempt, hang up or end the call. Be aware that area codes can be misleading. If your Caller ID displays a local area code, this does not guarantee that the caller is local.
- Do not respond to the caller’s requests. Financial institutions and legitimate companies will never call you to request your personal information. Never give personal information to the incoming caller.
"I am proud to stand with the Attorney General’s Office, the American Bankers Association, and banks across Michigan in championing the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign," said T. Rann Paynter, President and CEO, MBA. "With phishing scams on the rise, it’s more important than ever to educate and empower consumers. By working together, we can outsmart scammers, strengthen fraud prevention, and protect the financial security of our communities."
Because cybersecurity education and fraud awareness can often be dull and forgettable, the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign takes a bright, bold, and comedic approach. The campaign’s short videos feature humorous scenarios—such as wallpapering a room with cash, roasting marshmallows over a cash fire, and recycling cash on garbage day—to remind people they stand to lose real money if they aren't vigilant. Consumers are directed to BanksNeverAskThat.com, where they can take an interactive quiz, play the new "Scam City" video game, watch engaging videos, and learn how to recognize phishing scams.
The campaign also offers a Spanish-language version of the website, BancosNuncaPidenEso.com, along with a variety of other #BanksNeverAskThat consumer resources in Spanish.
To file a complaint with the Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form
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