AT&T and National Crime Prevention Council team up in New Campaign to help Consumers Outsmart Fraudsters

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Sep 30, 2020, 09:03 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* and National Crime Prevention Council** (NCPC) are teaming up to help raise awareness about social engineering scams in a new public education campaign with the call to action – Don't Take The Bait – Validate! As fraud concerns are heightened during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign aims to help empower consumers to outsmart fraudsters by protecting their PINs, passwords and personal information from incoming callers who may not be who they say they are.

The campaign includes video, social media, and digital resources to help inform consumers about some of the common tricks fraudsters use to get personal information. AT&T and NCPC will also share infographics and information with consumers through social media and NCPC's network of crime prevention practitioners.

"We are working to equip consumers with the most current information on scammer tricks so they can protect themselves," said Valerie Scheder, AVP Global Fraud, AT&T. "Together with NCPC, we are working to take power away from the bad guys and place it where it belongs -- in the hands of consumers."

Fraudsters use social engineering tactics to trick consumers into sharing confidential and personal information. They are skilled con artists who impersonate government, community, and business officials such as law enforcement, local charities, and service providers. Once fraudsters have someone's personal information, they can use it to make unauthorized purchases, drain financial accounts or even steal someone's identity.

"Savvy consumers understand that callers aren't always who they say they are. But fraudsters are crafty and prey on us when we are most vulnerable, making us question what we know," added Ann Harkins, President and CEO, NCPC. "That is why NCPC is collaborating with AT&T to remind everyone that if we pause and think it over, we have the power to decide how we want to engage with each and every caller -- not the other way around."

To learn more about social engineering scams and how to outsmart fraudsters visit www.ncpc.org/fraud and www.att.com/cyberaware.

*About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a diversified, global leader in telecommunications, media and entertainment, and technology. WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content to global audiences through its consumer brands, including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Turner Classic Movies. Xandr, now part of WarnerMedia, provides marketers with innovative and relevant advertising solutions for consumers around premium video content and digital advertising through its platform. AT&T Communications provides more than 100 million U.S. consumers with entertainment and communications experiences across TV, mobile and broadband. Plus, it serves high-speed, highly secure connectivity and smart solutions to nearly 3 million business customers. AT&T Latin America provides pay-TV services across 10 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean and wireless services to consumers and businesses in Mexico.

AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional information is available at about.att.com. © 2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

**About National Crime Prevention Council
The National Crime Prevention Council is the nonprofit leader in crime prevention. For 40 years, our symbol of safety, McGruff the Crime Dog®, has delivered easy-to-use crime prevention tips that protect what matters most—you, your family, and your community. Since 1982, NCPC has created public education campaigns with over $2 billion in donated media and distributed crime prevention messages to its network of more than 15,000 state and local law enforcement agencies, crime prevention associations, community groups, foundations, and corporate partners. For more information on how NCPC can be a public safety expert for you or how to "Take A Bite Out of Crime®," visit www.ncpc.org.

SOURCE National Crime Prevention Council