BanksNeverAskThat Campaign Pushes Scam Awareness as Losses Rise Nationwide

BanksNeverAskThat campaign messaging aims at a simple problem: scammers want bank logins, and too many people still give them up.

Banks now push consumer education with more urgency.

BanksNeverAskThat Campaign and The Fraud-loss Backdrop

BanksNeverAskThat Bank of the Sierra campaign

Bank of the Sierra said it joined the American Bankers Association and other banks in an industry-wide campaign during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

The bank pointed to Federal Trade Commission estimates that consumers lost $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, up 25 percent from 2023.

The campaign focuses on how scammers impersonate banks and pressure consumers into handing over sensitive data.

Bank of the Sierra tied the risk to faster, more convincing fraud attempts, including those boosted by newer technology tools.

What The Campaign Teaches Consumers to Reject

The campaign uses attention-grabbing content and humor to help consumers spot fake bank outreach.

It centers on a core rule: legitimate banks do not ask for secrets like passwords or Social Security numbers through surprise messages.

Bank of the Sierra said it will share consumer tips on social media throughout the month.

The campaign also offers tools like short videos, an interactive quiz, a learning game, and scam-spotting tips, with resources in English and Spanish.

Bank Background and Local Footprint

Bank of the Sierra said it operates in its 45th year and ranks as the largest independent bank headquartered in the South San Joaquin Valley.

It said it offers retail and commercial banking through full-service branches across counties including Tulare, Kern, Kings, Fresno, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, plus loan production offices and an online branch.

Consumer Protection

Consumers can treat BanksNeverAskThat campaign content as a checklist, not entertainment.
BanksNeverAskThat campaign repetition can reduce losses if consumers pause before they respond to urgent requests for private information.

Original press release: Bank of the Sierra Joins ABA for #BanksNeverAskThat Campaign.