Is that really a text message from your bank?
A prolific scam the Problem Solvers first warned you about on Monday is now attracting the attention of state investigators.
The attorney general's office is warning Washington residents about scammers pretending to be bank or credit card officials with a security alert about your credit card.
The scammers started off posing as employees of Wells Fargo. Now consumers report the imposters are using the names of all the major banks and credit card companies.
Instead of phishing with fake emails, or pharming - directing you to a fake website, the scammers are now "smishing", using SMS, the short message service on your cell phone.
If you haven't received the phone call yet, chances are, you will. Since local consumers talked with the Problem Solvers on Monday, the auto dial calls have gone viral. And now the scammers are spreading out by text with messages claiming to be from a major financial institution: "Your card has been deactivated. "
When I called the Seattle contact number provided on one recent text I got a recorded message that sounded like it an electronic voice simulator constructed word by word: "Welcome to Wells Fargo online 24 hours card activation services. Please enter your 16-digits card number."
It's designed to trick you out of your account information.
According to the state attorney general's office, the scammers appear to be targeting the entire state. A huge spike in complaints this week, prompted the AG to issue a statewide alert.
"It's a very elusive criminal activity," said Consumer Protection Division Chief Doug Walsh. Walsh and other consumer fraud experts say the scammers could be anywhere, most likely overseas in places like India, Canada, Nigeria and Taiwan. Thanks to stolen phones, stolen computers and hijacked information, they're next to impossible to trace.
As for how they're getting our phone numbers?
"They could do it randomly," said Walsh. "They could do just simply random dialing, because technology allows them to run through millions of numbers."
The key is what happens once the scammers get you to respond. Bottom line: Don't. No legit business will call you and ask for your personal information, ever. If a stranger contacts you asking for any kind of information about any accounts, passwords, or social security numbers, just hang up or hit delete. Never click a link. Never call a provided phone number. Never reply. If you do reply, call your bank as soon as you realize what happened, report the fraud and cancel your accounts.
"Whether it's texting, email, telephone or direct mail, no matter what the message is, if they're asking you for your financial information, the answer is no," said Walsh.
To help federal investigators track these scams and identify potential links that might help locate the source, forward the email, text screen shot or voice mail and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and/or the FBI. Military members should file a complaint through the FTC Consumer Sentinel.
Here's another good way to fight back: tell everyone you know. Tell your friends. Tell your kids. Tell your parents. Tweet if you use Twitter. Share the information with your friends on Facebook. Pass on a link to this report and keep the chain going.
Don't assume everyone you know is too smart to fall for this, because a lot of people who think they know better are getting their accounts hit every day. And once you're money's been stolen, the chances of getting the money back are non-existent. At the same time, your chance of being victimized a second or even third time is very high.
The attorney general's office is warning Washington residents about scammers pretending to be bank or credit card officials with a security alert about your credit card.
The scammers started off posing as employees of Wells Fargo. Now consumers report the imposters are using the names of all the major banks and credit card companies.
Instead of phishing with fake emails, or pharming - directing you to a fake website, the scammers are now "smishing", using SMS, the short message service on your cell phone.
If you haven't received the phone call yet, chances are, you will. Since local consumers talked with the Problem Solvers on Monday, the auto dial calls have gone viral. And now the scammers are spreading out by text with messages claiming to be from a major financial institution: "Your card has been deactivated. "
When I called the Seattle contact number provided on one recent text I got a recorded message that sounded like it an electronic voice simulator constructed word by word: "Welcome to Wells Fargo online 24 hours card activation services. Please enter your 16-digits card number."
It's designed to trick you out of your account information.
According to the state attorney general's office, the scammers appear to be targeting the entire state. A huge spike in complaints this week, prompted the AG to issue a statewide alert.
"It's a very elusive criminal activity," said Consumer Protection Division Chief Doug Walsh. Walsh and other consumer fraud experts say the scammers could be anywhere, most likely overseas in places like India, Canada, Nigeria and Taiwan. Thanks to stolen phones, stolen computers and hijacked information, they're next to impossible to trace.
As for how they're getting our phone numbers?
"They could do it randomly," said Walsh. "They could do just simply random dialing, because technology allows them to run through millions of numbers."
The key is what happens once the scammers get you to respond. Bottom line: Don't. No legit business will call you and ask for your personal information, ever. If a stranger contacts you asking for any kind of information about any accounts, passwords, or social security numbers, just hang up or hit delete. Never click a link. Never call a provided phone number. Never reply. If you do reply, call your bank as soon as you realize what happened, report the fraud and cancel your accounts.
"Whether it's texting, email, telephone or direct mail, no matter what the message is, if they're asking you for your financial information, the answer is no," said Walsh.
To help federal investigators track these scams and identify potential links that might help locate the source, forward the email, text screen shot or voice mail and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and/or the FBI. Military members should file a complaint through the FTC Consumer Sentinel.
Here's another good way to fight back: tell everyone you know. Tell your friends. Tell your kids. Tell your parents. Tweet if you use Twitter. Share the information with your friends on Facebook. Pass on a link to this report and keep the chain going.
Don't assume everyone you know is too smart to fall for this, because a lot of people who think they know better are getting their accounts hit every day. And once you're money's been stolen, the chances of getting the money back are non-existent. At the same time, your chance of being victimized a second or even third time is very high.
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