‘Bank jackings’ in Chicago see robbers drain victims’ accounts with their phone apps

Bank apps like this one have been used by robbers to loot victims’ accounts. These crimes involving cell phones are a relatively new and growing phenomenon in the city’s growing scourge of robberies. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere / Sun-Times)

You know about carjackings. Now, you also need to be wary of “bank jackings.”

Millions of Americans whip out their phones to pay for everything from dinners to vacation rentals using banking apps like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App. But that convenience is fueling a new kind of robbery.