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Fraud Awareness
Working hard to protect our customers.

Fraud Awareness 101

  • Nicolet will never ask for your username or password.
  • Pause and think before you act. Nicolet will never rush you.
  • If something doesn’t sound or feel right, end communications and call your banker.
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Fraud Awareness

An Open Letter From Our CEO About Fraud

Fraud is on the rise, and it's affecting individuals and businesses alike. In this open letter, our CEO shares why these scams are becoming more common and how a simple pause in a suspicious moment can help protect you. Read the full message to learn how we can fight fraud together.

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Real Questions from Real Customers

How can a fraudster call me using Nicolet’s legitimate phone number?

It is surprisingly easy, and it is called "spoofing". Within a call, there is a field that indicates the source number, i.e., who is making the call. Anyone can modify this source number with freely available hardware and software. This ability to alter the source number means that someone knows our phone number and can use it to act as a legitimate Nicolet employee. It is natural that you would trust a phone call from someone at Nicolet Bank. This trust is what the fraudulent callers are using to get information from you.
 
So, can someone alter the source number and make a call that appears to be from Nicolet? Yes.
Are people currently making calls, pretending to be from Nicolet, to commit fraud? Yes.
Is there anything you can do to recognize that the call may be fraud? YES!
The very first thing you should do when receiving this phone call is to PAUSE. Fraudsters work on fear and emotion. They want you to rush, which leaves you little time to think about what they are asking. Always pause and think. After you pause, ask yourself a few questions:

  • Can Nicolet's legitimate phone number be used by someone who doesn’t work at Nicolet? Yes. Don't trust the caller just because the caller ID says Nicolet Bank.
  • Would Nicolet ever rush you to action? No.
  • Would Nicolet ever ask you for usernames, passwords, PINs, or other like information? No.

If you suspect fraud or you feel unsure about the conversation, please hang up and call your banker or Nicolet's general phone number, which is 800-369-0226. This action will terminate the fraudsters’ attempt to spoof Nicolet. Never give out a username or password. Never click a link that someone may send you via text and log in.

When in doubt,

pause

Is it okay to share my text verification access code?

It’s not safe to share your text verification code with anyone even if they seem trustworthy.

These codes are like a one-time key to your account. If someone else gets it, they could log in as you, change your settings, or even lock you out. Scammers often try to trick people into sharing these codes by pretending to be your bank, a friend, company, or support agent.

If someone asks for your code, that’s a red flag. Keep it private, just like your password.