November Tip of the Month 2023
Fraud.
Scammers will contact you pretending to be a government official, bank security officer, or a member of the police. Lots of times they will give you a number to call back to verify who the scammer is pretending to be-but it is actually a call straight back to the scammer! Here are ways to spot a scam:
Are you being pressured to act immediately?
Did they ask for your personal information-social security number, bank account number, birthdate, pin number? They may have some of this info when they call you. This makes the fraudster sound more legitimate, and makes it more likely for you to trust them.
Are they asking for unusual methods of payment-wire payments, online payment apps, gift cards?
They may not ask for your critical information until the second/third call after they have built up trust. They sound honest and sound like they want to help you.
Call us immediately if this happens to you. The scammer may even tell you NOT to tell us because they are working on an undercover operation! (true story).
Source: American Express. Help Us Protect You. Dated 10/7/2023.