tellows Investigates the Big Bank Phone Scams in the United States
tellows Insights Report
Richard Grant - Expert in Telecommunications and User Protection
Richard is responsible for tellows' Consumer Protection department and is responsible for investigating all matters relating to telephone fraud, with a particular focus on developments in the telecommunications sector. Last updated: Feb 26, 2024
Richard is responsible for tellows' Consumer Protection department and is responsible for investigating all matters relating to telephone fraud, with a particular focus on developments in the telecommunications sector. Last updated: Feb 26, 2024
As digital connectivity advances, so does the sophistication of scammers, with banking phone scams emerging as a significant threat in the United States. According to recent tellows data, these scams are on the rise, impacting unsuspecting individuals nationwide.
- Official Banking Phone Numbers (e.g. fraud services, customer service)
- Tactics used by scammers (e.g. Fake bank employees)
- Solutions to scammers (e.g. caller ID app)
Official Banking numbers with positive ranking
tellows users submitted to 6 different phone numbers a total of 26 ratings.
| PhoneNumber | Ratings | Caller | Example | Score | 4154215422 | 3 | Chase Bank | This call said that they were Chase Bank calling about account activity. | 3 | 8006278372 | 4 | Mastercard (lost card) | I called this number on the back of my bank card for Mastercard support. | 2 | 4172759008 | 4 | Warranty fraud | It is an automated bank verification call for two factor identity. When logging into your online ban | 5 | 8887622265 | 4 | PNC BANK | 3 | 8009336262 | 6 | Bank of America (Phishing scam) | 4 | 8776898723 | 5 | Citi Bank credit card | Called to say card was 6 days past due | 5 |
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Most bank related scams will involve some sort of request for payment or card details, and the safest way to discern whether a call is a scam or not would be to call the number on the back of your card. An credit facility issued bank card usually has a logo for either Mastercard 1-800-627-8372, VISA 1-800-847-2911, or Amex 1-800-528-4800 on it, and is then associated with that particular payment system. Contacting one of those companies directly will bring clarity on any issues that have been brought to light by a caller purporting to be your bank.
Tactics Employed by Scammers: A Closer Look
Fraudsters employ various tactics in banking phone scams, exploiting trust and leveraging technology:- Impersonating Bank Representatives: Scammers pose as legitimate bank officials, contacting individuals via phone calls or text messages. They often claim urgent issues with accounts or transactions, creating a sense of urgency.
- Spoofing Caller ID: Utilizing advanced technology, scammers manipulate caller ID information to make it appear as if the call is coming directly from the victim's bank. This deceptive tactic increases the likelihood of individuals answering the call.
- Social Engineering Techniques: Scammers may use social engineering to gather information about potential victims. By piecing together details from public sources, they create a convincing facade, making individuals more susceptible to manipulation.
- Phishing for Personal Information: In the guise of addressing account concerns, scammers attempt to extract sensitive information such as account numbers, passwords, and other confidential details. This information is then misused for identity theft or unauthorized transactions.
John's Experience:
In a recent incident, John received a call 4077322416 from an individual alleging to represent Amazon, asserting he had outstanding bills. Wary of the situation, John hung up and promptly contacted Amazon, only to discover he had no pending payments. Intrigued, he called back the number provided, now identified as a reported Chase scam. Another person claimed access to his information. John, quick to act, reached out to his bank, which confirmed the call as a fake Chase number, listed under reported scams. Armed with Chase's authentic contact details, John sought clarification directly from the bank, learning that the scam number matched their internal line. To his surprise, Chase had no record of any account under his name. The suspicious calls ceased abruptly after this revelation.
Alarming Statistics: tellows data underscores the concerning prevalence of banking phone scams in the United States:
- Frequency of Calls: A surge in the frequency of calls reported by tellows users, with a significant uptick in the number of individuals targeted by banking phone scams.
- Financial Losses: Individuals falling victim to these scams report substantial financial losses. Scammers exploit trust to coerce victims into making unauthorized transfers or disclosing sensitive information.
- Geographical Impact: tellows data reveals that banking phone scams are not limited to specific regions, impacting individuals across the nation.
Scam or Fraud Calls Claiming to be from a Bank:
tellows users submitted to 40 different phone numbers a total of 69 ratings.
| PhoneNumber | Ratings | Caller | Example | Score | 2126402000 | 18 | AMEX | Scan call about an illegal transaction of $11,000 in Xiamen, China by someone which committed a iden | 9 | 8667342077 | 7 | Citibank (Scam) | Automated call (with voicemails) EVERY DAY for weeks claiming to be citibank. Banks will not call yo | 7 | 6789511337 | 1 | posing as Medicare | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 500 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 7 | 6783625196 | 1 | Posing as Amazon (scam) | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 501 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 8 | 7622769927 | 1 | Posing as Medicare | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 502 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 8 | 6789682102 | 1 | Posing as Medicare | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 503 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 8 | 6789508787 | 1 | Posing as TV provider | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 504 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 8 | 6789565550 | 1 | Fale Amazon alert | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 505 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 8 | 6789378225 | 1 | pushing diabetic supplies | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 506 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 7 | 4709964425 | 1 | Prime Medical/American Med | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 507 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 8 | 8664803739 | 1 | Camp Jejuene scam | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who have now called 508 times since 08/11/23 using diffe | 8 | 6789286483 | 1 | AJTdiabetic posing as US Med | Same India scam telemarketer ID theft group who has now called 509 times since 08/11/23 using differ | 7 | 8604951568 | 1 | Medicare scammer | Same scam telemarketer ID theft group who has now called 510 times since 08/11/23 using different nu | 8 | 5165660206 | 1 | Fake bank alert scam | Same illegal telemarketer center who has now called 511 times since 08/11/23 w/different numbers (I | 8 |
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Protecting Yourself: tellows Insights for Consumer Safety
tellows empowers consumers with crucial insights to protect against banking phone scams:- Caller Identification: Use tellows app to verify the legitimacy of incoming calls, cross-referencing numbers with the extensive database of user-generated ratings.
- User Reviews: Leverage user reviews to understand others' experiences and identify potential scam patterns associated with specific numbers.
- Vigilance and Verification: Be cautious when receiving unsolicited calls or messages from alleged bank representatives. Verify the authenticity of the communication through official channels before sharing any personal or financial information.
- Community Reporting: Contribute to the tellows community by reporting and rating suspicious numbers, creating a collective defense against banking phone scams.
A concerning trend involves rising instances of sophisticated phishing attempts targeting consumers, coaxing them into utilizing person-to-person payment apps like Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle to transfer funds to malicious actors.
tellows Insights for Journalists
This comprehensive study has been intricately assembled by the tellows Insights team, amalgamating exclusive tellows data with the proficiency of our researchers. Each day, tellows evaluates numerous user ratings, enabling the creation of insightful statistics and the identification of evolving scam trends associated with significant phone numbers. This approach enables us to zero in on active fraudsters and swiftly detect new suspicious phone numbers, augmenting scam detection and enhancing user protection.Drawing from the extensive tellows database, our team is well-equipped to develop in-depth studies. Should you have any inquiries, please reach out to our team. You are welcome to utilize all the graphics and data in your editorial work, with proper source acknowledgment.
As of the latest update on Feb 26, 2024, we have assessed these phone numbers, assigning them tellows scores ranging from 1 (trustworthy) to 9 (dubious). This scoring system gauges the level of risk associated with each phone number, with higher scores indicating more dubious callers. In this report, we focus on numbers categorized under Banks, considering the count of reported phone numbers associated with this label by tellows users.