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Dec 10, 2008 6:40 pm US/Central
Text Message Scam Targeting U.S. Bank Customers
(WCCO)
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U.S. Bank said as far as it knows, no one has lost any money in the scam.
AP
Thousands of people have gotten a text message warning of unusual activity on their U.S. Bank accounts, but U.S. Bank said the message is a scam to try and get people to give up personal information.
Erich Schroeder called WCCO-TV after he got a text message on his work cell phone.
Schroeder said, "It says you need to verify your U.S. Bank account unusual activity call at 866-XXX-XXXX."
For Schroeder the tip off was easy, he doesn't have a U.S. Bank account.
"I'm figuring there's a lot of people who would have a U.S. Bank account and probably would go through and potentially get into trouble," said Schroeder.
When WCCO called the number the text message said to call, a recording asked for personal information.
The recording says: "Welcome to U.S. Bank. Please follow the next step to verify your account. You will be asked to provide three additional pieces of information which are linked to your account, including your credit card number."
U.S. Bank said as far as it knows, no one has lost any money in the scam.
The bank has turned over the information to the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission has shut down at least one of the phone numbers.
U.S. Bank issued a statement saying, "We would never ask a customer to place their personal information in jeopardy by contacting them and asking them to divulge it over the phone, via email or text messages."
Scams via text message are becoming so widespread there is actually a new name for it -- "smishing" -- a takeoff of SMS text messaging and phishing.
Smishing has another form that is also dangerous. You get a text message that urges you to download an item on your phone and it turns out to be a virus.
If you do get a text message like this experts say don't respond, but call your bank's customers service number.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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