It was only a matter of time before scammers started using texting to phish for information. “Never respond to an unexpected call, text or email that asks for personal or financial information” said Dale Mingilton, President and CEO of the BBB serving Denver/Boulder.
SCAM ONE:
If you’ve received a text message allegedly from your bank telling you there is a problem with your account, contact your bank immediately. Do not follow the instructions in the text message.
The Better Business Bureau is warning US Bank and Wachovia cardholders about a texting scam aimed at securing cardholders' account numbers, expiration dates and personal identification numbers (PINs).
Consumers have contacted several BBBs to tell them about a text message claiming that their account has been deactivated or frozen and requires action to reactivate it.
The messages say: "Wachovia Alert Your card starting with 4828 has been deactivated. Please contact us at 804-715-9368." Another message states: “Customer issue, us bank service (sic) frozen. Please call at 888-847-6796.” Both numbers are currently out of service.
According to complaints, customers who dialed the telephone number were asked by an automated answering service to key-in their card number, expiration date and PIN.
“I got a very uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach when I initially read the text,” said one Sacramento, CA victim. “I immediately called my bank directly and was told not to respond to the text.”
The messages are not being sent by Wachovia or US Bank. A spokeswoman from Wachovia said that the bank never asks for personal information in text or e-mail and that any such communication should be considered a scam.
Consumers are advised to contact their bank immediately using the phone number listed on the back of their card. A US Bank spokesperson said to forward any phishing texts or emails to: FraudHelp@usbank.com.
SCAM TWO:
If you’ve received a text message saying you’ve won a Walmart gift card, ignore the instructions in the text message; you haven’t won anything!
The scam works as follows: A consumer receives a text message that says, “Hi [name]. Thx 4 visiting our site. Call 877-233-4980 to Claim Your FREE $200 Walmart Gift Card Voucher!” Once the consumer calls the number they are asked for their debit or credit card information in order to pay $9.80 for shipping.
Walmart has told the BBB they are not involved in any type of text message marketing, nor would they require financial information for a gift card to be redeemed. In all Walmart promotions, the only personal information that is collected is the address, name, and phone number.
One Elk Grove, CA resident says that after she divulged her debit card information, a $30 charge appeared on her statement that seems to be invalid.
“After I gave them our debit card information, they started calling us every day at all hours harassing us,” said the victim. “We had to cancel our card and have no idea where the $30 came from.”
To verify such promotions, consumers are advised to contact the company that’s offering the promotion directly, and not the phone number listed in the text message.
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The BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. The BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Reliability ReportsTM on businesses and BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM on charities, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, your BBB also offers dispute resolution services for consumers and businesses. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 125 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada. Please visit www.denver.bbb.org for more information.
