Matt Harber

Matt Harber, Treasury Management Officer, uses his nearly 20 years in banking to spot things others might miss.

“I’ve worked in a lot of roles, and have had a lot of varied experience, so I think fraud is something I’m really aware of,” he shared.

And that’s not a brag, either. In 2024, Matt noticed red flags on an application for treasury services and put in a request for a deeper look. That caution led to shutting down a fraudulent application.

As a Treasury Management Officer, Matt works to provide businesses with the tools they need to operate, to pay employees and vendors, and to grow. It’s these services that the fraudsters – posing as a legitimate business – were interested in.

But there were several things about the application that made Matt pause.

“When I see red flags, I always look in other areas to see if I’m on the right track and then refer it to our department that handles potential fraud for further investigation,” he shared. “We always try to be extra cautious, because the aftermath of fraud – the mess and the cleanup afterwards – is very frustrating for the client and the bank; so if we can avoid it at all costs, it’s better for everyone.”

That investigation determined that the applicant wasn’t a legitimate business and that they harbored ill intentions.

For his work, Matt earned a Gold Shield Award – First Merchants’ internal recognition of team members who live up to our mission, vision, and values, and who go above and beyond in customer service.

Being aware of fraud is an integral part of banking and is one of the ways customers can be a huge help in their own protection.

“In banking, we look for patterns,” Matt explained. “At First Merchants, we try to know and have a good relationship with our clients – we know how they like to do business, and how often – so if we receive a request that deviates from that, we know to take a closer look and ask for verification.”

Forming that relationship and keeping in touch with personal bankers – consumer or commercial – as part of a primary banking relationship can help strengthen that line of defense.

“Fraudsters are professionals. They go to work every day like you and I do, they just do it to take advantage of other people and hurt other people,” he said. “As long as we stay vigilant and stay one step ahead, we can hopefully help mitigate and stop some of it.”

And the fact that First Merchants encourages close banking relationships and views working with clients as a partnership is one of the things Matt loves about working here.

“I’m encouraged to have conversations, to influence how we operate as a bank and how we help people. I really like that ability,” he shared. “I just love the collaboration and getting to work with people towards a good end goal – both within the bank and with our customers – there’s nothing better than a win-win. First Merchants is big enough to help clients with whatever they need, but small enough to make personal connections and be part of the community and help out. I really like that aspect.”

In his spare time, Matt enjoys volunteering with Junior Achievement and hopes to soon join Big Brothers Big Sisters’ “Real Men Read” program as a volunteer. He also coaches middle school football and says he enjoys the days he gets to take his clients golfing.

“That’s never a bad day,” he shared with a laugh.

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The Teammates in Action series features First Merchants teammates who embody the spirit and impact of the company’s Vision: “to enhance the financial wellness of the diverse communities we serve.”