The fastest way to stop a scammer is to slow down. Almost every scam depends on urgency, so the most protective step you can take is to verify before you act. From there, using strong, unique passwords, turning on two-factor authentication, setting up real-time account alerts, and knowing what to do if your information is compromised can have maximum impact.
Last year, Americans reported losing $15.9 billion to fraud, a substantial increase of roughly 27% from the year before. Imposter scams were the most reported type of fraud for the fifth straight year, driving about $3.5 billion in losses.
Fraud doesn’t discriminate: Seniors are often targeted, but so are small business owners, people learning new technology, and anyone navigating a big life change, like a divorce or a new job. Fraud attempts can also spike around the holidays, when a flood of package deliveries, gift purchases, and year-end donation requests give scammers more cover to blend in.
The takeaway isn’t that scams are unbeatable. It’s that they’re common enough that everyone needs a plan.
From shredding to smishing: Your 7-step fraud defense
Each step below closes a door scammers are trying to open:
1. Use passwords a scammer can’t guess
Reused passwords are the easiest entry into your accounts. Create a unique, complex password for every login and store them in a password manager so you aren’t relying on memory. Skip security questions with answers someone could find on your social media, like your high school or your pet’s name.
2. Turn on two-factor authentication everywhere
Two-factor authentication (2FA) ensures that even if someone steals your password, they still can’t get in. Start with your banking, email, and payment apps first since these are the accounts that unlock everything else.
3. Verify before you act, every time
If a call, text, or email asks you to confirm credentials, move money, or approve a payment, stop. Look up the company’s number yourself and call it directly. Never use the phone number or link in the message because that’s exactly what a scammer wants you to do. Real urgency can wait five minutes for a verification call.
This is also what happens in a “family emergency” scam. A caller claims to be a grandchild or relative in trouble, pressures you to keep it secret, and asks for money right away. The fix is the same: Hang up and call that family member directly, using the number you already have for them.
At Cornerstone, your security is our highest priority. We continuously monitor and update our systems to stay ahead of new tactics. Your part? Tell us the moment something looks off. The sooner you tell us, the sooner we can help.
4. Know the four “ishings”
Scammers work across every channel you use:
- Phishing: An urgent email that looks like it came from your bank or a company you know.
- Vishing: A phone call from “customer service” pressing for personal details. Legitimate companies will never ask for your password or full Social Security number over the phone.
- Smishing: A text posing as a delivery update or a message from family, with a link attached.
- Quishing: A QR code that routes you to a malicious site, like a sticker placed over the real code on a menu or parking sign.
Your response is the same in all four cases. Verify through a separate channel, go straight to the website instead of clicking, and never scan a QR code from a source you don’t recognize. Smishing and quishing can also spike in November and December, when “your package couldn’t be delivered” texts are easy to mistake for the real thing.
5. Lock down your devices
Most fraud plays out on your phone or laptop, so a few settings go a long way. Keep your phone, computer, and apps updated so security patches actually reach you, and avoid banking or shopping on public Wi-Fi. Before you log in anywhere, take a second to confirm the URL is legitimate, and stick to official app stores when you’re downloading a banking app.
It’s also worth adding your Cornerstone Visa® debit card to your mobile wallet. Cardless transactions keep your card number out of circulation.
6. Monitor your accounts and set alerts
Catching fraud early limits the damage. Our online and mobile banking let you set account alerts for logins, deposits, and large transactions, so you’ll see activity as it happens instead of at the end of the month. You can also set card controls for another layer of security and monitor your credit from the same dashboard.
Review your credit report annually to catch new accounts or inquiries you didn’t authorize. If an unauthorized charge does get through, Cornerstone debit cards carry liability protection.
7. Guard your personal information offline
Scammers build trust with details, and most of these details come from your trash or public profiles. Make sure to:
- Shred mail and paperwork with sensitive information
- Store Social Security cards, checks, and important documents securely
- Leave unnecessary personal documents at home
- Keep travel plans, your address, and your birthday off public profiles
You can also cut down on mail that’s worth stealing by opting out of prescreened credit offers.
If you think you’ve been scammed: Speed matters, so address the threat right away. Block the scammer, then call Cornerstone or your credit card issuer to report it and ask if the transaction can be reversed.
Change your passwords and place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus. Then report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and file with the FBI if it happened online. If your Social Security number was involved, visit IdentityTheft.gov.
Watch for follow-up “recovery” scams too. Anyone who calls promising to get your money back for a fee is running a second scam.
Something feeling phishy? Reach out for help
Cornerstone Capital Bank will never ask for your passwords/PINs over the phone, request personal information over email, or ask you to move money to “protect” your account. If someone claiming to represent Cornerstone makes any of these requests, stop communication and contact us directly at 833.567.2265 (BANK).
Sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed. For educational purposes only.
You’re receiving this resource from your loan officer, who operates within the lending division of Cornerstone Capital Bank, a full-service financing institution.
Cornerstone Capital Bank is the parent organization that brings together multiple affiliated lending teams, providing shared resources, solutions, and long‑term support to help clients make confident financial decisions now and in the future.