We’ve all been there. You’re moving quickly through emails or text messages when something catches your attention. It looks legitimate. Maybe it appears to be from your bank, a delivery company, your employer or even someone you know.
You click.
Then comes the sinking feeling: Wait… was that a scam?
First, don’t panic. Clicking a suspicious link doesn’t automatically mean your information has been stolen or your device has been compromised. But what you do next matters.
Cybercriminals often rely on urgency, fear and confusion to get people to act without thinking. If you believe you clicked something suspicious, stay calm and take action as quickly as possible.
If you clicked a suspicious link or downloaded an unexpected attachment, stop interacting with the website or message. Don’t enter additional information and don’t click around to investigate whether the site is legitimate.
If you believe something malicious may have downloaded to your device, disconnect it from the internet by turning off Wi-Fi or unplugging the network connection.
If this happened on a work device, follow your employer’s cybersecurity procedures and contact your IT or security team immediately. Avoid deleting messages, files or other information that could help them determine what happened.
If you entered a username and password into a suspicious website, change that password as soon as possible, and preferably using another trusted device.
If you use the same or a similar password for other accounts, change those passwords too. Using a unique password for every account helps prevent one compromised password from giving a criminal access to multiple accounts.
This is also a good time to turn on multifactor authentication (MFA) wherever it’s available. MFA adds another layer of protection by requiring more than just your password to access an account.
And remember: Never approve an unexpected MFA request. A fraudster who already has your password may try to get you to approve their login.
READ | Is Saving Passwords in Your Browser Worth the Risk?
If you entered your debit or credit card number, bank account information, online banking credentials, Social Security number or other sensitive financial information, contact your financial institution immediately.
For Heartland Bank customers, contact your local branch directly using a trusted phone number, not a number included in the suspicious message.
The sooner you report possible fraud, the sooner we can help you determine what steps may be necessary to protect your accounts.
Keep an eye out for activity you don’t recognize, including:
Continue monitoring your accounts even if everything initially looks normal. Fraudulent activity may not happen immediately.
Heartland Bank customers can also use digital banking tools such as HB Alerts to receive notifications about certain account activity and help keep a closer eye on their accounts.
Scammers are constantly finding new ways to make emails, texts, websites and phone calls appear legitimate. A convincing logo, familiar name or urgent warning doesn’t necessarily mean a message can be trusted.
If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Heartland Bank — or you clicked something and aren’t sure what to do next — contact your local Heartland Bank branch.
READ | What Heartland Bank Will Never Ask
The biggest mistake isn’t necessarily clicking the link. It’s ignoring the warning signs afterward.
Act quickly, protect your information and when in doubt, ask for help.