Your phone buzzes with an alarming message: “Suspicious $847 transaction detected on your account. Click here immediately to prevent additional charges.” The text appears to come from your bank, uses professional language, and might even show up in the same conversation as legitimate security alerts. Your first instinct is probably to protect your money, but responding could be exactly what a scammer wants.
Criminals increasingly impersonate financial institutions through convincing messages designed to steal account information and money. The agency reports that victims of these scams can lose thousands of dollars, sometimes before realizing they’ve been deceived. Today’s fraudulent messages can look remarkably legitimate, making them even more dangerous. Here are seven warning signs worth checking whenever your bank supposedly sends an unexpected text.
