Executive Letter: Helping You Help Your Customers
By Rose Oswald Poels
Last week WBA released new consumer content to help combat fraud. The PDF, Scam Awareness and Safety, was created by WBA’s communications team and is available with many other consumer facing resources on the WBA website. As part of our mission, WBA is constantly looking for ways to help member banks in turn help their customers.
This new resource succinctly explains several scams that are unfortunately gaining steam: check fraud, “pig butchering,” and phishing and offers tips to proactively safeguard against these nefarious scams.
The WBA communications team often collaborates with the WBA legal team and considers input from WBA committees to create resources that are timely, pertinent, and easy to share. Consider including links to the PDFs in e-newsletters to customers, feature them on your website, or share printed copies in your lobby or on the frontline.
You are also welcome to use the content from these PDFs to create your own one-pagers, blogs, social media posts, etc. We just ask that you credit WBA and the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation for the information.
If you haven’t checked out the WBA Consumer Resources Hub lately, I hope you’ll take the time to peruse the offerings online and see if there are materials you could put to good use at your bank. The one-page PDFs are colorful, informative, and present the facts in an easy-to-absorb manner.
Some resources that may be particularly helpful at this current time are:
Vacation Banking Checklist – Media predicts record-setting travel for the Fourth of July holiday. Customers will benefit from this helpful checklist before they leave town for this holiday or future summer travel.
Set Your Teen Up for Financial Success – A recent report revealed that teens in more prosperous countries are lacking in financial literacy. Help teens consider their financial goals, set up bank accounts, create a budget, and start investing early in IRA’s and 529 accounts.
Fun in Frugality – Saving money is getting trendy, as talk about “loud budgeting” (openly sharing financial goals and plans to meet those goals) grows on social media. Show customers that being frugal now can actually lead to satisfaction in the future by paying down debt, retiring earlier, and enjoying travel.
Stop Social Security-Related Scams – WBA recently interviewed detectives with the Dane County Sheriff’s office and they spoke about the rise in Social Security and other government agency imposter scams. Help your customers understand how this scam traps victims.
Additional WBA consumer content PDFs:
• Counting on Credit
• Year-End Checklist: Finances
• Know the Difference – Differentiators of Traditional and Roth Retirement Accounts
• Practice Safe Shopping Online
• Safeguarding Your Mail
• Budget Basics
• The Risk of Money in Apps
• Protect Your Family From Scams
• Spring-Clean Your Finances
• FDIC Insurance Protects Bank Customers
• Avoid Mail-Related Check Fraud
• Get to Know Your Score
• Before You Invest…
• Shopping for a Bank Account
• Holiday Budgeting Wish List
• Don’t Get Spooked by Scams
• The Right Time to Mortgage?
In addition to resources designed by WBA, the website also offers numerous helpful tools for customers on topics ranging from WUTMA accounts to the prevention of elder financial abuse. Materials from agencies like CFPB and the FDIC are also available.
WBA is committed to providing accurate, current, and accessible information to our members and customers across the state. New resources are uploaded regularly so please check the WBA website often for new content.
If you have suggestions for content that your customers would find useful, please contact me.
I hope you and your staff have a festive, fun, and safe Fourth of July holiday!
