FDIC-Insured - Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government
What They Are and How to Protect Yourself
Scammers are posing as bank employees to trick people into giving up account details, passwords, or one-time verification codes. These impersonation scams are happening nationwide and target clients of banks large and small. They may come by phone, text, or email, and they are getting more convincing every day.
What is a Bank Impersonation Scam?
Fraudsters pretend to be from your bank, often the fraud department or online banking team, and ask you to verify account details, confirm a transaction, or provide a one-time code. Their goal is to steal login credentials or authentication codes to access your accounts.
How the Scams Work
- Spoofed contact: The phone number or email appears to be from the bank.
- Personalized using public info: Scammers reference names, job titles, or business details from social media or directories.
- Creating urgency and fear: They claim suspicious activity or pending payments that must be addressed immediately, sometimes including specific payee names or amounts.
- Requests for credentials: They may ask for usernames, passwords, account numbers, or two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, claiming your login needs to be deactivated due to suspicious activity.
- Fraudulent transactions: Scammers use payment systems to create payments to accounts they control.
- False credibility: The fraudulent payments often mirror the “suspicious activity” described, making the scam seem credible.
- Manipulating security measures: Scammers may ask for verification codes or answers to security questions to bypass protections.
- Controlling account access: They may instruct you to stay out of online banking temporarily and attempt to lock out other authorized users.
- Keeping you on the line: They try to prevent you from verifying information independently.
Common Phrases You May Hear
- "We detected suspicious activity on your account. We need to verify your login."
- "This transaction must be stopped now. Please give me your verification code."
- "We are from the fraud department. We need to confirm your password."
If you hear this, treat it as suspicious.
What You Should NEVER Do
- Never share your online banking username, password, or verification codes.
- Never click links or open attachments from unknown or unsolicited messages.
- Never call back the number in a suspicious message, as it may connect you to the scammer.
What To Do Instead
- Hang up immediately if a caller pressures you or asks for credentials.
- Verify requests by contacting your bank using a trusted phone number from your statement or the bank’s website.
- Delete the suspicious message after reporting it to the bank.
Signs a Message Might be a Scam
- Unsolicited contact asking for codes or passwords.
- Urgent language or threats of account suspension.
- Misspellings, odd grammar, or official-looking but off-brand sender addresses.
- Links that do not match the official bank website URL.
If You Think You Shared Information
- Call the bank immediately at 419-841-7773 and discuss options to secure your accounts.
- Change your passwords and secure your email.
- Review your account activity and pending payments.
How You Can Protect Yourself
Always verify requests before responding. If something seems suspicious, hang up and call your bank using a trusted phone number. Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts. Stay alert for phishing emails, texts, or calls that create urgency or ask for sensitive information. Review your account settings and talk with your banker about security options or transaction limits that can help protect your accounts.