The Lakewood Police Department has issued a warning to residents to be wary of phone calls from individuals claiming to be from their bank.
The police department shared the following synopsis from an “anonymous citizen” of what happened to them”
I recently received a phone call from someone claiming to be from my bank. The caller informed me that my credit card was being fraudulently used and asked if I had authorized any recent purchases. The phone number displayed was identical to the one on the back of my credit card.
The caller proceeded to confirm my full name, the last four digits of my Social Security number, and the last four digits of my credit card. They then told me I would receive a one-time text code on my cell phone and asked me to share it with them to confirm my identity and resolve the issue quickly.
I felt uneasy and decided to call the number on the back of my credit card myself to verify the situation. The caller tried to discourage me, claiming it would take much longer to address the issue if I called directly. However, when I contacted my bank, the legitimate agent informed me that there were no issues with my account. They also explained that a genuine bank representative would never ask for a one-time text code over the phone and that the scammer had spoofed the credit card phone number. A legitimate bank would never call from the same number given on the back of the credit card.
The scammer was attempting to reset my account password using the information they had gathered and the text code they requested. It’s disturbingly easy for scammers to obtain personal information these days.
Reminder:
•Always be cautious of unsolicited phone calls from your bank, even if the number appears to be legitimate.
•Never share one-time text codes or personal information over the phone.
•Always call the official number on the back of your credit card to verify any suspicious activity.
Stay vigilant and protect your information!