What we're talking about

October was Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and helping our customers stay financially safe online has always been a priority at Wintrust. Our series of fraud-related features was published throughout the month to educate businesses and consumers on the best ways to defend themselves against all-too-common cybersecurity attacks. Here’s a quick rundown:

The Fraud 101 Series:

Part 1: Email Attacks

“To trick recipients into trusting the email and acting on it, criminals create email accounts with similar addresses or send personalized emails directly to their target, known as spear-phishing for its focused approach.”

Part 2: Malware and Ransomware

“Ransomware is a particularly dangerous form of malware designed to block a user or company's access to their data until the attackers receive a ransom to relinquish their control.” 

Part 3: Mobile Scams

“Phone scams cost 68.4 million Americans $39.5 billion in the prior 12 months, according to a 2022 report from Truecaller, a caller ID and call-blocking app.”

Part 4: Checks and Wire Transfer Fraud

“While wire fraud and check fraud generate billions in losses, not to mention the time, effort, and expense business owners incur to recover from fraud, both forms of fraud can be detected and prevented.”

For some guidance specifically for the day-to-day activities we all encounter, this quick read has some practical tips for guarding your information.

#CyberMonth