BELOIT — First National Bank and Trust (FNBT) wants to alert the public about a growing threat of fraudulent scams that is impacting financial institutions throughout the country.

The scam, known as a Bank Imposter Scam, begins with a fraudulent text message claiming to be from a bank. The urgent-sounding text message is designed to mimic an official message from the bank and asks the receiver to confirm or deny a suspicious purchase. Shortly after the individual responds, the fraudster impersonates the bank and calls the unsuspecting victim, claiming to be a bank employee. The fraudster will then attempt to trick the individual into giving access to their banking information or transferring money out of their account to allegedly protect the victim’s money.

It is important to note that a bank will never ask for confidential information such as passwords or PINs, and they will never ask a customer to transfer money out of the bank to “protect it.”

In response to the escalating threat of scams, FNBT is taking proactive steps to educate the public on identifying fraud and how to protect against it. To address this critical issue, FNBT will be partnering with several assisted living centers in our community to bring fraud education to their facilities. FNBT invites the public to the following Fraud Prevention seminars:

●  Grinnell Senior Center (631 Bluff St, Beloit) — Tuesday, June 1, at 1 p.m.

●  Janesville Senior Center (69 S Center St, Janesville) — Thursday, July 17, at 10:30 a.m.

In these seminars, FNBT’s Vice President, Fraud Prevention Manager, Wanda Moucha, and Senior Vice President of Retail Banking, Deb Griffith, will discuss fraud prevention and educate the public on emerging threats and strategies to combat fraud. With extensive experience in fraud prevention and a track record of defending against fraudulent schemes, their insights offer guidance for navigating the complexities of modern-day fraud and safeguarding personal information.

The Fraud Prevention seminar will cover:

●  Different types of identity theft and current scams.

●  Warning signs of scams.

●  How to protect against scams.

●  Reporting fraud.

For more resources on fraud prevention, visit FNBT’s Fraud Prevention Center at www.bankatfirstnational.com/fraud-prevention-center. People interested in scheduling a Fraud Prevention Seminar for a community group meeting, please contact MarketingInfo@

bankatfirstnational.com.