Your Money
There's a new sophisticated banking scam that's making the rounds, and it's surprisingly convincing. The author, a cybercrime reporter, almost fell victim to a scam himself. Here's what happened:
He got a call from what looked like Chase Bank's actual phone number. The caller knew his name, mentioned fraudulent Zelle transfers to Texas, and even provided official-sounding case numbers. When the reporter got skeptical, they transferred him to a "supervisor" who patiently walked him through "reversing" the charges.
Sixteen minutes later, he was seconds away from sending $2,100 to the scammers before finally hanging up.
What makes this one so effective?
They've really nailed the corporate experience—the hold music, the supervisor transfer, the avalanche of codes and numbers. It all creates this sense of legitimacy while simultaneously overwhelming you. Before you know it, you've shifted from thinking critically to just following instructions.
The simple protection:
If you receive a call about suspicious account activity, simply hang up and contact your bank directly using the phone number on your card. Real banks will never ask you to send money through Zelle to fix fraud. And if something feels urgent? That's your cue to slow down, not speed up.
Stay safe out there, and as always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
I’ve Written About Loads of Scams. This One Almost Got Me.
by Michael Wilson
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