Bank Scams Are on the Rise. Here Is How to Protect Yourself.

Summer is a time for vacations, cookouts, and spending time with the people who matter most. Unfortunately, it is also one of the busiest seasons for scammers. Fraudsters follow the calendar, and when people are distracted, traveling, or more active online, the opportunity for fraud goes up. In 2024 alone, consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud—a 25 percent increase over the year before.

That number has only grown. Summer scams are active year-round, but they peak in the warmer months and knowing what to look for is one of the best ways to keep your money and personal information safe.

The Most Common Bank Scams Right Now

Scammers are not just more active in summer—they are more sophisticated. Advances in artificial intelligence have made it easier than ever to create convincing fake voices, emails, and websites. The old warning signs, like poor grammar or obvious red flags, are harder to rely on. Here is a look at the scams showing up most often this season.

Travel and Vacation Scams

Summer travel is one of the top targets for fraud. Scammers create fake booking websites that look nearly identical to trusted platforms like hotels, airlines, and rental sites.

You enter your payment information, receive a confirmation, and then arrive to find no reservation exists. Look-alike sites are increasingly common, and AI makes them easier to build. Before booking, go directly to the official website of the hotel, airline, or rental company.

Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or social media ads, and pay with a credit card rather than a debit card or wire transfer whenever possible.

Imposter Scams

One of the fastest-growing scams involves someone pretending to be a person or organization you trust. This could be a government agency, your bank, a utility company, or even a family member.

Imposter scams surged last summer compared to the rest of the year. Scammers may call, text, or email claiming there is an urgent problem—an overdue bill, a compromised account, a grandchild in trouble—and pressure you to act fast.

Real institutions, including your bank, will never ask you to wire money, send gift cards, or share your account number over the phone in response to an unsolicited contact.

When in doubt, hang up and call the organization directly using a number you look up yourself.

Closeup of hand holding smartphone with unknown incoming call on screen indoors. Concept of mobile communication, spam call and privacy risk

Fake Job Offers

With a tough economy in the background, employment scams have made a significant comeback. Fake job listings promise high pay, flexible hours, and easy remote work.

Before long, the “employer” asks you to pay a fee for training or equipment—and then disappears. No legitimate employer asks you to pay to get a job.

Be cautious of any offer that sounds too good to be true, especially those that come through social media or ask you to work through unfamiliar apps or group chats.

Phishing Texts and Emails

You have likely seen texts warning about an undelivered package, an unpaid toll, or a suspicious charge on your account. These messages are designed to get you to click a link and enter your personal information. Package delivery scams rose nearly 90 percent last summer.

Toll road text scams increased 900 percent in 2025 and are still circulating. Do not click links in unexpected texts or emails. If a message claims to be from your bank or a delivery service, go directly to the official website or app instead.

AI-Powered Scams

Artificial intelligence has made it easier than ever for scammers to look and sound like someone you trust. Before you act on any unexpected message or call, it helps to know what they are capable of:

  • Voice cloning allows scammers to replicate a family member’s voice using just a few seconds of audio from social media or a voicemail.
  • Deepfake images and videos can make a fake advertisement or plea for help look completely legitimate.
  • AI-generated text has eliminated the grammatical errors and odd phrasing that used to be a reliable red flag in phishing emails and texts.

If you get an unexpected call from a loved one claiming to be in danger and asking for money, hang up and call them back on a number you already have. Verify before you act.

Hacking a Phishing mobile phone with a password to access a smartphone, security threats online, and fraud. A young man with a cell phone and laptop is secure in his bank account.

How to Protect Yourself

Awareness is your first line of defense, but good habits help too. A few practices can go a long way toward keeping your finances secure.

  • Keep your contact information updated with your bank. If something suspicious happens with your account, you want to be sure we can reach you quickly. First Independent Bank of Aurora monitors accounts for unusual activity, but your role in staying alert matters just as much.
  • Use strong, unique passwords for your financial accounts and enable two-factor authentication wherever it is offered. This adds a second layer of protection even if someone gets hold of your password.
  • Be cautious about what you share online. Scammers often gather details from social media to make their pitches more convincing. The more personal information that is publicly available, the easier it is for someone to impersonate a trusted contact or craft a targeted message.
  • Check your accounts regularly. Catching an unauthorized charge early makes it much easier to resolve. If you notice something on your account that does not look right, contact us right away.

What to Do If You Think You Have Been Scammed

If you believe you have fallen victim to a scam, act quickly. Contact your bank immediately to report the issue and limit further damage. If your First Independent Bank account is involved, call us or stop by. Time matters, and we are here to help.

You can also report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general’s office. Reporting helps protect others in the community from the same fraud.

We Are in Your Corner

At First Independent Bank of Aurora, our relationship with this community goes beyond transactions. We genuinely care about the financial wellbeing of our neighbors, and that means sharing information like this when it matters. Scams do not take a summer off, and neither do we.

If you have questions about protecting your accounts or want to learn more about the security features available to you, reach out to us at fibaurora.com or visit one of our locations. We are always glad to help.