Bank Scams start up again

Posted 9/15/09

“None of us (local banks) have automated systems that would call and ask our customers for that information,” said Josh Baxter, First National Bank's assistant vice president of technology and operations.

The scam is nothing new. A …

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Bank Scams start up again

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Over the last few days, you may have received a phone call from a familiar foe — automated messages claiming to be from your bank, asking you to turn over account information. Without keying in your debit card number, the voice warns, your account may be suspended or your credit limit may be reduced.The attempt is, of course, a scam.

“None of us (local banks) have automated systems that would call and ask our customers for that information,” said Josh Baxter, First National Bank's assistant vice president of technology and operations.

The scam is nothing new. A similar wave went through in late January, in which essentially every landline and cell number in the Big Horn Basin was called.

“And unfortunately, they had some success the last time around,” said Baxter.

Several dozen residents gave up their personal information when prompted and had to be issued new credit cards.

The calls began again on Friday, as an automated robo-dialer began calling all the cellular numbers starting with 307-254, likely reaching thousands of area residents.

Many of the messages purported to be from First National Bank, while others claimed to be from Bank of Powell, Wells Fargo and Elk Basin Federal Credit Union. One received by a Wells Fargo employee said it was from Bank of America, which doesn't have a branch in the area.

Still other calls were generic recordings that said the customer's Visa card had been suspended.

The good news is that this time, only a small handful of residents — likely fewer than one dozen — reported falling for the ruse, according to an informal survey of local banks conducted by the Tribune.

However, as Baxter and other local bankers noted, those numbers account for only the people who realized their error after giving up their card number.

The scammers trick caller ID systems, making it hard to track down the real source of the calls.

“With the auto-dialer software that people can get for next-to-nothing these days, it's almost impossible,” said Baxter. He said the last time around the scammers were apparently operating out of eastern Europe.

The best protection for consumers is prevention — by guarding financial information.

In a letter sent to customers on Friday, Big Horn Federal recommended that if you doubt the legitimacy of a call seeking financial information, hang up and call your local office.

Bank of Powell President Denis Brothers noted that a bank will never call and ask for your financial information.

“We have all of that information already,” he said.

Police Chief Tim Feathers said the issue is a frustrating one for local law enforcement.

“They're finding the seams in the system,” Feathers said of the scammers.

Given the multi-state — and often multi-national — nature of the scams, the crimes fall under federal jurisdiction.

Until law enforcement and credit card vendors find a way to crack through the layers of deception, the fraudulent phone calls will likely continue.

“It happens every day to banks all over the country,” said Baxter. “They just keep trying.”

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