Bay State Bank Warns of Increased Financial Scams During the Holiday Season

By-Hank Stolz

Photo- Canva Licensed

WORCESTER, MA-Lauren Piehl, Financial Empowerment Officer at Bay State Bank, joined Radio Worcester to discuss the heightened risk of financial scams during the holiday season and what consumers can do to protect themselves.

Piehl explained that scammers often take advantage of increased online shopping, travel, and charitable giving this time of year. Among the most common schemes are phishing emails and fake package delivery text messages designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links or providing personal information.

She encouraged consumers to slow down and verify before taking action. Piehl advised hovering over links to check their true destination and conducting independent research rather than responding directly to unsolicited messages. “If something feels urgent or too good to be true, that’s usually a red flag,” she noted.

Piehl also outlined the immediate steps people should take if they believe they’ve fallen victim to a scam. These include contacting their bank right away to limit potential damage, monitoring accounts closely, and filing a police report to document the incident.

In addition to reactive steps, Piehl emphasized the importance of proactive protection. She recommended measures such as freezing one’s credit to prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened and regularly reviewing credit reports for suspicious activity.

Bay State Bank, she said, offers resources and direct assistance to help customers stay informed, respond quickly to fraud, and navigate the recovery process if a scam occurs. More information and consumer resources are available at baystatebank.com.