NORWICH – NBT Bank has earned a BankSafe seal from AARP, recognizing the bank’s efforts to stop financial exploitation.

In order to earn the BankSafe seal, more than 80 percent of frontline staff were required to complete a special training, and the bank demonstrated further commitment with its policy to report suspected financial exploitation. NBT Bank was also confirmed by AARP to be in good standing based on a review of Better Business Bureau ratings as well as legal and regulatory activity.

“We consider training of our employees to be a critical tool in protecting our customers from financial exploitation,” said Senior Director of Information Security Terra Carnrike-Granata. “Attaining this seal is further demonstration of our commitment to a robust fraud prevention plan.”

Based on a Virginia Tech study from October 2019, it is estimated that BankSafe-trained employees helped stop more than $110 million from being stolen from the accounts of older adults. More than 2,000 professionals from the financial industry, trade associations, adult protective service agencies, non-profits, government organizations, regulators and the legal field helped AARP in the development of the training.

The BankSafe Trained seal is not a product or service endorsement, but indicates that a financial institution’s frontline employees have been substantially trained in financial exploitation prevention.

NBT Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth management services from locations in seven states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut. The bank and its parent company, NBT Bancorp, are headquartered in Norwich, NY.

NBT Bancorp had assets of $12 billion as of December 31, 2021, and is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol NBTB. More information about NBT is available online at www.nbtbank.com. Member FDIC.

-From NBT Bank