It is increasingly common for people to use their phones to handle transactions, from bill payments to buying household items. But that means scammers are also increasingly likely to use these habits against you.
Watch out for emails or texts out of the blue asking you to confirm a payment you never made. If you reply that you did not make a payment, you may get a phone call from someone pretending to be with the bank or business. They can even fake their phone number so it displays like the real thing on your caller ID.
Remember
- a bank or other financial institution will never ask for your login credentials or personal information, like your Social Security Number
- If you aren’t sure that the person you’re talking to is legitimate, hang up and call the business using a number you know is correct, like the customer service phone number on your bank card
- Avoid clicking links or attachments from senders you don’t know. It could be malicious content to help the scammers steal your money or information
To report fraud or scams, visit www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds
