Pretends to be your bank
Fake bank or account message
Is a text, email or call from my bank asking for my password or a code a scam?
Yes. Banks do not ask for passwords or one-time codes. Hang up and call the number on your card or statement.
Almost always fake. Stop, then check by calling a number you already have.
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Draft: we're still checking this page. The quotes below are word for word from their sources.
What to do
On the phone right now?
- Stop. Hang up or close the message. Don't tap anything.
- Check. Call a number you already have, like the one on your card or bill.
- Talk to someone you trust before you pay anyone.
If anyone is in danger right now, call 911.
If you already paid
- Call the company you paid through right away: your bank, card company, gift card company, or the wire or Zelle service. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment.
- Call the Justice Department's National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If it happened online, report it at IC3.gov too.
General information, not legal or financial advice. If you've lost money, contact your bank and report it.
How it works
1 They reach you by
- Text message
- Phone call
- Website
2 They pretend to be
- Your bank
- Investment expert
- Someone else
3 They ask for
- Personal details
- Tap a link
- A code sent to you
What it can look like
Example pattern, not a real message
Pretends to be your bank. What gives it away:
- Read back a code
- Give your ID numbers
- Use their link
Warning signs
- They ask you to read back a code that was texted to you. Anyone with that code can get into your account.
- They contacted you, then ask for your Social Security, Medicare or bank numbers.
- They want you to use their link or their phone number. Look up the real website or number yourself.
Why we say this
Don’t get “-ished” – Tips to Protect Your Investment and Financial Accounts from Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing Scams – Investor Alert
Scammers use email, texts, and phone calls to pretend to be your bank or investment firm. They try to steal your personal details and passwords. They use fear or excitement to make you act fast.
Fraudsters generally design these scams to prey on one of two powerful human emotions: fear or excitement.
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These texts also generally use “urgent” messages similar to those used in phishing scams to try and solicit this information from you. Sometimes these texts may be from someone who appears to know you wanting to reconnect.
Vishing fraudsters can make their calls look like they are coming from legitimate sources.
Never provide personal or sensitive information via text message, e-mail, or to anyone on an unsolicited phone call.
If you receive a text message or e-mail from what appears to be your investment, bank, or other financial firm, contact the firm directly through a verified telephone number to confirm that the information in the text or e-mail message is real.
If you are a victim of any “-ishing” scam, contact your investment, bank, or other financial provider immediately and change the online passwords for your accounts.
Is that unexpected text a scam?
The FTC explains that some text scams begin as fake fraud alerts from your bank. It says not to reply or click, to check with the bank using a number you know is real, and to report the text.
But that’s the hook they use to get you to respond by messaging back or calling a number. Instead of help, they’ll spin elaborate lies and drain your bank account.
Top text scams of 2024
The FTC lists "wrong number" texts as one of the top five text scams. It says they start with a harmless message, become a fake friendship, and end in bogus investment sites where people lose tens of thousands of dollars.
Many people reported texts about so-called suspicious activity or a big purchase they didn’t make. These texts often look like they’re from a bank or Amazon.
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They might give a number to call. Or they might say to reply YES or NO to verify a large transaction. People who reply are connected to the (fake) fraud department for “help” fixing the made-up problem.
These scammers quickly up the ante, often telling people all their money is at risk. The scammers then pressure people into moving money out of their accounts to supposedly keep it safe, but it really goes to the scammers.
Got a call about fraud activity on your bank account? It could be a scammer
The FTC says anyone who claims to spot fraud and asks you to move your money or share a verification code is a scammer. It tells you to call your real bank using the number on your statement, then report it.
Did someone supposedly spot fraud or criminal activity on one of your accounts? Did they offer to help “protect” your money by moving it from your bank, investment, or retirement account? Maybe they even asked you to share a verification code? If anyone did any of those things, it’s always a scam.
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Your money is fine where it is, no matter what they say or how urgently they say it. Someone who says you have to move your money to protect it is a scammer.
No caller — especially someone from your bank or investment company’s fraud department — will ever ask for the verification code. That’s always a scam.
If you’re worried, call your real bank, broker, or investment advisor. Use the number you find on your statement — never the number the caller gave you, which will take you to the scammer.
If you get a call, text, or message like this, tell your bank or fund right away. Especially if you moved money or shared a verification code.
Scammers Use Couriers to Retrieve Cash and Precious Metals from Victims of Tech Support and Government Impersonation Scams
The Odessa Police Department is warning about callers who pose as bank fraud staff and say an account is in danger. They push the victim to pull out large amounts of cash, hand it to a courier or rideshare driver, and give a passcode such as a dollar bill's serial number.
Scammers inform victims their financial accounts were hacked or are at risk of being hacked, and, as a result, their funds need to be protected.
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Scammers instruct victims to liquidate their assets into cash and/or purchase gold, silver, or other precious metals.
Scammers may direct victims to authenticate the transaction with the courier using a passcode, such as the serial number of a US dollar bill.
Phishing Information
Phishing messages pretend to come from a bank or a well-known company. They try to scare you into giving passwords, card numbers or Social Security numbers. The safe move is to contact the company yourself using a number you already trust.
Phishing messages—sent in the guise of another company—often ask for personal or financial information from their recipients. Often, these requests are accompanied by dire warnings that if the requested information is not immediately provided, the user’s account will be suspended, or the user will be charged exorbitant fees.
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**Never give out personal or financial information in response to unsolicited emails.** Unless you initiated the communication, you should never give out information about yourself in response to any email you receive—even if it looks like it came from a reputable source.
Instead, you should telephone the institution yourself—using contact information from your files, the phone book or the company’s official web site.
Often, key words are slightly misspelled, either to closely simulate the name of an actual company, to avoid detection by spam filters, or, as is often the case, because the phishing email comes from a foreign country.
Also, be wary of web addresses which contain the “@” symbol in the url.
If you receive what you believe is a phishing email, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you receive what you believe is a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726).
Latest Scams – Chase Security Center
Chase's own security page describes the "Did you make this transaction?" text and the phony call that follows. It also describes bank impersonators who spoof caller ID. It says to contact Chase using the number on your card or statement.
They’ll pretend there’s an issue with your account and your money is at risk. They may claim there’s fraud on your account and put pressure on you to act fast so “you don’t lose” the rest of your money.
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These are messages claiming to be from your bank asking about a suspicious purchase, often asking you to reply “Yes” or “No” to a transaction you didn’t make. These lead to phony phone calls where they tell you to move money to a “new account” they created for you.
The man on the line told me they suspected fraud on my account. When I hesitated, he offered to connect me with his supervisor.
If you get one, delete or ignore it and never reply or click any links.
When in doubt, contact us before you share your account information or send money. Call us using the number on the back of your card or account statement, or visit a branch location.
Woman Refuses Fake Bank App, Then Scammer Allegedly Sends Armed Police to Her Home
A caller posing as a bank's fraud department told a Nova Scotia woman to install a fake 'CIBC Guard' app to stop a credit application in her name. After she refused and checked with the bank, the caller allegedly reported a false hostage situation that brought armed police to her home.
The caller claimed someone had applied for a credit card in her name. To prevent the supposed fraud, Colpitts was instructed to download an application called 'CIBC Guard' onto her phone.
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Meanwhile, CIBC told CBC News that it does not offer an application called 'CIBC Guard'. The bank also warned customers against complying with unsolicited requests to download software or disclose sensitive financial information.
Bank impersonation scams often begin with warnings about suspicious transactions or compromised accounts. Criminals then pressure victims to disclose banking details, transfer money or follow urgent security instructions.
Authorities advise people to end suspicious calls and contact their financial institutions using independently verified telephone numbers.
SCAM ALERT: Odessa police warn of bank fraud scam targeting elderly
The Odessa Police Department is warning about callers who pose as bank fraud staff and say an account is in danger. They push the victim to pull out large amounts of cash, hand it to a courier or rideshare driver, and give a passcode such as a dollar bill's serial number.
According to officials with OPD, scammers will claim that the account is in danger and tell the person to withdraw a large amount of cash.
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The scammer may attempt to arrange a handoff with a 'cash courier' or 'rideshare driver'. The caller asks the victim to provide a 'passcode' such as a serial number on a dollar bill.
OPD stresses that if one of these scammers contacts you, you should hang up immediately and avoid contacting any numbers given to you by the scammers. Do not withdraw cash, do not meet a courier, and do not share any passcodes.
The Odessa Police Department asks that the public share this information with their family that could be at risk, as most victims of this type of scam are elderly citizens.