Rick Patrick, Greene Publishing, Inc.
There is a new scam moving across the area involving stolen Verizon cell phone lists. According to Howard Phillips from Madison County Community Bank, the scam started in Georgia, but could move into our area quickly.
The way the scam works is customers will receive a convincing looking text message on their cell phone informing them they need to contact their bank. A toll free number is listed for the customer to call. When the unsuspecting customer calls, they are asked to provide their Social Security number and bank account information. The scammers then use that information to steal the customer's identity and possibly their bank account. “A legitimate bank would already have a customer's Social Security number and account information. They would not need to ask for that information,” said Phillips.
If a customer receives a suspicious text message, or if they have a concern about their account, they should not call the phone number associated with the message. Instead, they should call the local number for their bank and inform the local bank representatives of the message. Dealing with your local bank and with people you know is a good way to avoid many of these types of scams.