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The New York State Division of Consumer Protection is warning New Yorkers of a text scam that is being reported throughout the state involving scammers impersonating various financial institutions attempting to steal information.
The scam involves someone posing as a representative of the bank to get information like credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or social security numbers.
The text asks users to confirm their account information, make a payment, or claim a prize being offered. It will then ask you to click on a link within the text that directs them to a fake website looking like the bank or financial institution. The link may also automatically download malware onto your device.
New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, “We urge all New Yorkers to take extreme caution if they receive any type of correspondence from a financial institution requesting personal information or that an account has been compromised. Even if a text message or website looks valid, do not provide any information without confirmation. We want to remind people to contact their financial institution first and to check statements regularly to ensure they are not a victim of fraud. The State Police will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to put a stop to these schemes and hold accountable those who prey on innocent people.”
To protect yourself from these scams the NY Division of Consumer Protection offers these tips:
- Don’t click on the link, but call the number on the text to confirm it was from a legitimate source.
- Don’t respond to the text including texting the word “STOP” this shows the scammer your number is genuine as they send these messages out to all numbers.
- Banks will NEVER ask you to provide confidential information over text.
- Look out for misspelled words, grammar, or website links from other countries (ex: instead of .com it would be .de, .co.uk, .In)
- Call your local bank branch directly
If you have received one of these text scams you can report it at this link HERE.
