Consumers urged to verify calls, refuse to give personal information
A social media post warned consumers to be prepared and to avoid sharing personal information with unsolicited callers, saying scammers rely on trust and fear to get to people’s money.
The post advised that if a phone call makes you uneasy, you should contact your bank or service provider using a phone number you trust rather than a number provided by the caller. It said people should not give callers any personal information.
Scammers commonly use tactics such as impersonating banks, government agencies or tech support to create urgency and get victims to reveal account numbers, passwords or other identifying details. These phone-based scams, sometimes called “vishing,” aim to access accounts or commit identity theft.
Consumer protection organizations routinely recommend hanging up, calling the institution back at a known number from a statement or official website, enabling multi-factor authentication and monitoring accounts for suspicious activity. Reporting attempted scams to your bank and to local authorities can help limit harm. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
