Got a call about fraud activity on your bank account? It could be a scammer (2024)

FAQs

Got a call about fraud activity on your bank account? It could be a scammer? ›

That's always a scam. Stop and check it out. 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.

All consumers are reminded that banks or the police will never contact you asking for your online banking password or for you to transfer money to a new account for fraud reasons.

Secure your online accounts with strong passwords and 2FA

If scammers have access to your phone number, they could potentially use it to hack into your online accounts — including your email, social media, and even your bank account.

The caller ID may even look like it's coming from your bank. Scammers can spoof their phone number to look like it's an official bank number.

Can you get hacked by answering a phone call? It's impossible to get hacked by simply answering a phone call made through your network service provider. But that doesn't mean a phone call can't be exploited to compromise your security via a social engineering attack.

If you've recently been the victim of identity theft, then changing your phone number is one of the optimum ways to protect yourself from repeated identity theft. There are also various software services and tools that can protect you from repeated identity theft.

Savvy scammers know that by hijacking your mobile phone number they can assume your identity, intercept security protocols sent to your phone, and gain access to your financial and social media accounts. One way to hijack your phone number is through a porting-out scam.

This is because the employee needs to verify you are who you say you are before proceeding with any actions related to your accounts. However, a bank would never call you and then ask you to provide personal information – because this is a common tactic used by fraudsters to gain information.

What should I do if I get a call from a scammer? ›

File a complaint with the FCC if you believe you have received an illegal call or text, or if you think you're the victim of a spoofing scam. Click the tabs below for tips, FAQs and resources. Don't answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.

When scammers get you on the phone, they try their hardest to obtain your bank account passcodes, passwords, account numbers, or even answers to your security questions (like your mother's maiden name). If you accidentally reveal that information, hackers can drain your account.

Banks leverage sophisticated rule-based detection systems that monitor transaction patterns and flag anomalies. These systems analyze factors such as transaction frequency, amount, and geographical location, comparing them against established customer profiles and historical data.

If they're confident that fraud has occurred and feel the case is substantial enough to warrant it, the bank may notify law enforcement agencies such as the FBI. Of course, the decision on whether or not to open an investigation is up to the law enforcement agency involved.

A similar message is left when bank employees need to contact a customer for other legimate business reasons and the customer doesn't answer. No loan or account information is divulged - just a bank employee's name and number and a request to call back.