Autumn Raulerson
ECB Publishing, Inc.
There’s a new round of scams to look out for that could trick you out of your bank account information from Capital City Bank. The company’s Fraud Alert Center put out an article concerning these scams, titled “Received an unexpected call from someone claiming to be your bank?’ Scammers have the technology to spoof the caller ID and appear to come from a trusted source. Any unexpected call, text or e-mail about a transaction on your account is a red flag.
Capital City Bank says that they will never call, text or e-mail you asking for your card’s PIN, security code, or online banking login information to authenticate your identity. There is no legitimate reason why any financial institution would need this information. The safest thing to do if you suspect you may be being scammed is to hang up and call your bank directly to verify.
Remember that these scammers may send links in e-mails or text messages to misdirect you to fraudulent sites where they can steal financial information and account credentials. Do not click links or call phone numbers appearing in e-mail or text messages. Always go to a company’s website directly when trying to verify contact, and do not trust web search results.
Capital City Bank will never call, text or e-mail you about sensitive information. Do not answer questions or follow instructions from an unexpected caller. If you get even a whiff that something is off, hang up and report it to the bank’s fraud department. Capital City Bank’s Fraud Protection Services Department is available 24/7 at (888) 671-0400. Card Service hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. If you contact the department outside of card service hours, a block will immediately be placed on your card to prevent all future transactions.
According to Capital City Bank, if someone is demanding payment or requesting money, ask yourself these questions:
• Did I receive a text or e-mail with a link or receive a call immediately after replying to a text?
• Is someone I don’t know or haven’t met asking me to deposit money into a Bitcoin/Crypto ATM, wire money or purchase gift cards?
• Has someone told me to give false information to my banker about a withdrawal or wire transfer?
• Is a government agency or law enforcement demanding urgent payment to avoid arrest or other consequences?
• Am I being asked to return funds received as an overpayment or refund?
• Am I being promised an investment or prize that seems too good to be true?
• Was I told to withdraw money to “protect” it from fraud?
• Is someone claiming to be a relative who urgently needs money due to some type of emergency?
• Am I planning to meet a stranger to hand over cash?
• Am I being instructed not to tell anyone about why the money is needed?