Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. The Federal Trade Commission’s report on fraud estimates that American consumers lost a staggering $5.8 billion to phishing scams and other fraud last year.
Online scams aren’t so scary when you know what to look for. We’re committed to helping you spot them to keep your information — and money — safe. We want everyone to become a pro at spotting a phishing scam.
These four phishing scams are full of red flags:
Text Message
If you receive a text message from someone claiming to be your bank asking you to sign in, or offer up your personal information, it’s a scam. We will never ask for information like your SSN, account number, or PIN via text.
Watch out for emails that ask you to click a suspicious link or provide personal information. The sender may claim to be someone from your bank, but it’s a scam.
Phone Call
Would your bank ever call you to verify your account number. No! If you’re ever in doubt that the caller is legitimate, just hang up and call the bank directly at a number you trust.
Payment Apps
Beware of text messages from someone claiming to be your bank saying your account has been hacked. The scammer may ask you to send money to a new account they’ve created for you, but that’s a scam!
