MoneyTalk Newsletter-December 2022 Edition

From the CEO’s Desk

As we wrap up celebrating our 35th anniversary, I continue to be humbled by the blessings each year brings our bank. Even during economic challenges, your bank continued to see steady and consistent growth. As I look forward into the year 2023, I am more grateful than ever to be a part of this organization’s story. Even in the earliest days of Wilson Bank & Trust, our people have been the driving force behind the bank’s success and I’m so proud of the team we have representing our bank today.

This organization is rooted in our humble beginnings and continues to be a business founded by a purpose bigger than banking. We exist to serve our customers, communities, and strive to provide a positive experience with each interaction.

In the pages of this newsletter, we want to share and celebrate some of the high points from this year. Thank you for your belief in the mission and direction of your community bank. Thank you for continuing to place your trust in us. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.

Sincerely,

2022 Oktoberfest

We recently hosted WBT’s 35th Annual Oktoberfest event. This grass roots event started as a way to promote local businesses and provide some free entertainment for families in our Wilson County community and beyond. This event hosts over 120 arts and crafts vendors or local businesses and 20 different food vendors as well as a special area for our local non-profits to market their services to the community. This year’s event started with the return of the Oktoberfest 5K to benefit Kare for Kids and ended with recognizing the winners in our Antique and Classic Car Show, one of the largest shows in Middle Tennessee each year.

Thank you to all who came out this year and supported this incredible event!

Signature Event Recap

We Believe Together

Making our communities stronger.

Our customers and communities are at the heart of who we are. Since 1987, Wilson Bank & Trust has provided unwavering commitment and support to each community it serves. We work hard to be a valuable resource for our neighbors and strive to be the bank of choice in Tennessee.

WBT’s unique community-centric approach is foundational to piloting our shared mission and core values. Our culture is deeply defined by our staunch dedication to our local communities and fosters a collaborative environment. Supporting and serving our communities is fundamental to who we are and drives the way we do business.

In 2017, we launched We Believe Together, an internal program that cultivates a valuable platform for employee engagement and involvement in community outreach initiatives. We Believe Together is driven by our employees through team fundraising and volunteer support— and delivers critical resources to local non-profit organizations working hard to serve our communities. Since the program’s rollout, our employees alone have raised and donated over $110,000 to non-profit agencies in our nine county footprint. This remarkable community imprint is a direct result of the collaborative efforts and actions of our incredible team.

In honor of our 35th Anniversary, WBT agreed to be the exclusive sponsor for a Habitat for Humanity build in Wilson County— where we first planted our roots in 1987. Over the course of three separate weekends, each build day required around 20 volunteers, and employees from each region provided the team members needed to make this build possible. It was an incredible opportunity to work together and fulfill the purpose of the We Believe Together initiative to make our communities stronger.

We are proud to have served Tennessee communities for 35 years! Thank you for choosing Wilson Bank & Trust.

Cybersecurity Tip

Shopping online this holiday season?

Here are some important reminders to help keep your account information safe.

According to the American Bankers Association, and the Federal Trade Commission, customers lost a total of $3.3 billion to phishing and other fraud in 2020. That is a staggering number with money going the wrong direction: to the attackers. Attackers get this money through fraud and scams.

One popular scam is targeting your username and password. Getting a potential victim’s username and password is easier than trying to break into systems. Think of usernames and passwords like keys to a safe. Instead of having to drill, cut or tamper with the heavy steel door, the attacker can bypass all of that hard work and use keys to open the front door. Criminals are constantly coming up with new and clever ways to get you to give away your username and password. The most common method—impersonating a bank.

Yes! You read correctly. Criminals are now impersonating banks to get their victims to give away sensitive information such as multi-factor account access codes, usernames and passwords. How? Attackers will usually call customers pretending to be their victim’s bank. The attackers start out with very convincing information such as impersonating a legitimate fraud prevention call. The attackers tell their victims that they (attacker) are the bank and need to confirm information on a recent fraud charge (also fake). During this call, the attackers are very nice, polite and even joke around with their victims. This is all done to get trust from the victim. After a few minutes, the attacker will casually ask to confirm the username on the account. Once confirmed, more small talk continues. The attacker then goes for the gold and casually asks for the password on the account. The attacker assures the victim this is simply a confirmation and may even remind the victim that they can change the password at any time. Again, this is all done in attempt to sound legitimate and obtain trust from the victim.

With the username and password revealed, the attacker can now login as the customer. However, there is one final step needed: the MFA (multi-factor code). The same process continues, and the attacker will casually ask for the MFA code. After this, the attacker can now fully login, appearing as the customer, and access their online bank account. Once access is gained, the attacker can initiate an electronic transfer. Attackers may further convince the victim that they were overpaid through another scam and need to send a refund.

Clearly, the username, password and MFA code are the keys to protecting your account. How do we combat these scams? The simple answer is to remember that WBT will never ask you for your username, password or MFA code. What can you do? If you receive any of the below, disconnect the call and call us at (844) WBT-BANK (844928-2265).

1. Text Message: If you receive a text message from someone claiming to be your bank asking you to sign in, or offer up personal information, it’s a scam. Banks never ask that.

2. Email: Watch out for emails that ask you to click a suspicious link or provide personal information. The sender may claim to be someone from you bank, but it’s a scam. Banks never ask that.

3. Phone Call: Would your bank ever call you to verify your account number? No! Banks never ask that. If you’re ever in doubt that the caller is legitimate, just hang up and call the bank directly at a number you trust. Wilson Bank and Trust is here for you. Should you need help, please do not hesitate to reach out to us online at wilsonbank.com, our mobile app, or call us at (844) WBT-BANK (844-928-2265).

www.wbtsecurityblog.com

Raymond James Update

Welcome to the Team, Charles Bledsoe.

Wilson Bank & Trust Investment Services is pleased to welcome veteran Financial Advisor, Charles Bledsoe to its growing investment team. Charles brings more than 24 years of experience in the financial services industry and has managed more than 400 client relationships with a focus on financial planning. Prior to joining WBT, Bledsoe served in various roles including leadership, private banking and most recently, a Premier Banker with Truist. He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in Office Systems and holds the series 7, 63, 65 certifications as well as a Life Insurance license in the state of Tennessee. Charles and his wife live in Hermitage and have four children.

Congratulations Heidi King

also be the first to share that she has had a lot of help and support

others on her journey, including her clients. Today Heidi manages over $125M in assets for our customers here at the bank. Her clients love working with her because of the expertise, confidence and the genuine care she shows them while helping manage their money. Please join us in congratulating Heidi on this amazing honor.

Heidi King, Financial Advisor at the Main Office in Lebanon, was recently recognized nationally by Raymond James as the Women of Distinction Award winner for her tremendous work as a financial advisor. Heidi started her career with Wilson Bank in 2003 as a floating teller based in Mt. Juliet and her dedication, energy and commitment to the education and training needed to become a successful financial advisor has paved the way for the success she has experienced in her role at the bank. She would

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