FBI warns of 'banking spoof call' scams. Here's how it works
USA Today • • business
Key Points:
- The FBI is warning Americans about "banking spoof call" scams, where scammers disguise their phone numbers to appear as legitimate bank contacts and trick victims into revealing sensitive information.
- These scams lead to victims transferring money to fraudulent accounts, with one reported case involving a $40,000 loss after a caller impersonated Chase Bank using the number on the victim's debit card.
- To avoid scams, the FBI advises setting up multi-factor authentication, scrutinizing email addresses and URLs for irregularities, and avoiding clicking on unsolicited links.
- The FBI and banks emphasize that legitimate companies will never ask for usernames, passwords, or request money transfers via phone, text, or internet communications.
- Victims of spoofing or phishing scams are encouraged to report incidents to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
