Trust a Hunch

Saturday I was sitting in the barbershop waiting my turn when my phone rang. The callerID said it was my bank. Curious I answered it. The caller claimed to be from the fraud victim division of the bank and wanted to alert me to “suspicious activity” on my account and that someone was trying to use my OLD debit card. Note I said old, and in my mind, I’m thinking…so what the problem? He also said that someone was trying to access my account from an account from an iPhone in Texas.  
The one thing that bugged me was that it was often hard to hear the caller – I’ve gotten calls from their fraud victim department, and it was always crystal clear. 

The other thing that was off is that the credit using fraud department of the bank ALWAYS sends a text alert first. There wasn’t one. 
 
The caller said they needed to verify my account and they wanted me to give them my one-time-access code from the text message I was about to receive. RED FLAG RED FLAG. 
 
and Yes—I have MultiFactor Authentication set up on all my accounts. 
 
I told the caller NO, and that I would just go into the bank, and hug up. 
 
I verified the number on my phone, and it was the same number that the bank uses. 
I called the bank and asked if they had recently called me about unauthorized activity on my account. They reported that they didn’t and the last time they called was when there really was an issue (they replaced by card at that time) 
 
if you get one of these calls…do the same… 

Even the text message you received from your bank states that No one from the bank will ever ask you for that code. 

When I got home, I changed my password. 
 
Know that those data breaches of various, the internet dark web is exposing all kinds of information about You. 
  
 
Here are the takeaways.  

Step 1:NEVER rely on caller ID.  

Watch out for scammers who may be able to spoof a phone number so your caller ID reads your bank’s name 

Step 2: NEVER share private account information.    

Remember that bank employees will never ask for your PIN, password, or one-time access codes. This information should always be private and never shared. Many of their text messages reiterate this fact. 

Step 3: Ignore requests to send a payment to solve a problem. 

Know that bank employees will never ask you to send money to anyone – including yourself – to “reverse a transfer,” “receive a refund,” or anything similar. Remember, if a correction is needed, the bank already has your account information. 

Step 4: Ignore transaction requests you didn’t initiate. 

If you receive a one-time access code to authorize a transaction you didn’t initiate, don’t use the code or share it with anyone, even if they claim to be from your bank. One-time access codes should never -ever be shared. The text messages usually reiterate this fact. 

Step 5: When in doubt, hang up and contact us directly. 

If you receive a suspicious phone call that seems like bank spoofing, hang up immediately. If you receive a suspicious text, don’t respond. Contact your directly using a verified, legitimate source such as the phone numbers on your banking app. 

Step 6: If you get a call wanting your one-time-access, chances are the criminals have your username and password —- CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD (to some you are NOT using) 

Defense Against Crime provides you with the best information to meet the security needs of you, your family members, your home or your business, by assisting anyone who is unwilling to become a victim of crime.  If you want to take personal responsibility for protection, home security, business security, purchase high-quality self-defense products kits and arm yourself with the knowledge about self-defense and security products and information of the best way to stay secure in an ever-increasing violent world. In today’s society, being equipped mentally and physically is no longer an option. – 
Victor Swindell, Onyx Knight Enterprises