Scammers are becoming more convincing than ever. One of the fastest-growing fraud trends is bank impersonation scams, where criminals pretend to be your bank, credit card company or even a fraud investigator.
The most alarming part? They can spoof your bank's phone number, making the call appear to come from a legitimate source. In many cases, the caller may already know your name, date of birth, Social Security number or even portions of your bank account information.
Never trust the phone number that appears on your caller ID.
If you receive an unexpected call claiming to be from your bank or credit card company, hang up immediately and call your bank back using the customer service number printed on your account statement or on the back of your debit or credit card.
Watch this video on Fox News about a recent impersonator scam with costly consequences.
How do bank impersonation scams work?
Impersonators will often call with an emergency. They may tell you:
- Your account has been compromised.
- Someone is attempting fraudulent transactions.
- Your debit card needs to be canceled immediately.
- Your online banking has been hacked.
- They need to verify your identity to protect your account.
Because the caller may already have personal information about you, the conversation can feel convincing.
Remember: Having your information does not mean they are your bank.
What should you do if someone claims to be from your bank?
If you receive a surprise call, text or email from someone saying they are with your bank, and they ask you to:
- Verify personal or account information
- Share login credentials or one-time security codes
- Approve or cancel account access
- Call a phone number they provide
- Click a link
- Or, reply to a text message
End the call immediately and call your banker directly using a trusted number you already have, or call the customer service number on your bank statement or on the back of your debit or credit card.
We are here to help. If you get an email or text and you are not sure if the message is legitimate, don't hesitate to contact us. We are happy to take the time to help you verify a message. We don’t want you to become a victim of a scam.
What will a banker never ask you for?
Security Bank will never ask you to share or confirm:
- Your online banking password
- Your PIN
- One-time security codes
- Debit card numbers
- Full account information
If anyone asks for this information, it's a scam.
How can you protect yourself from a scam?
Stay alert with a few simple habits.
- Never trust caller ID
- Don't share or confirm personal or financial information with unsolicitated callers, texts or emails (companies or individuals contacting you out of blue)
- Verify requests by calling your banker directly
- Don’t click links or open attachments from unsolicited sources
- Report suspicious activity immediately
What if you already shared personal information?
If you think you may have shared information with a scammer, contact your bank or credit card company immediately so they can help secure your account.
Fraudsters act fast. The sooner we know, the sooner we can help minimize potential financial loss.
Security is a team effort.
We have taken steps to ensure our products offer the highest level of security features, but preventing fraud is a team effort. Be extra cautious and skeptical of unexpected calls, texts and emails, even if they appear to be from your bank or credit card company.
Watch this local Fox News video about a recent impersonator scam with costly consequences.
Take time to review our Safety & Security page for recommendations on how you can help protect yourself from fraud, scams and identity theft.
Helping you stay safe,
Your Security Bank Team