SCAM LIBRARY · IMPERSONATION

The fake bank fraud alert

Scammers pretend to be your bank and create fake urgency to trick you into confirming personal details or moving money.

Documented by the FTC & FBI IC3 · reviewed 2026-07-06

How it works

You receive a call, text, or email that looks like it's from your real bank, warning about suspicious activity or a frozen account. The message creates panic and pressure you to act immediately—often asking you to click a link, call a number, or confirm your account details to 'verify' or 'unlock' your account. The scammer's goal is to catch you off-guard so you don't stop to think.

Red flags

• A bank contacting you first about account problems (real banks rarely do this unsolicited).
• Pressure to act *right now* or threats that your account will be closed or compromised.
• Requests to confirm passwords, PIN numbers, full card numbers, or other sensitive details.
• A link or phone number in the message that looks slightly off, or you're directed to a website that mimics your bank but isn't quite right.

What to do

• Stop, take a breath, and do not click any links or call any number in the message. Instead, hang up or delete it.
• Contact your bank directly using the phone number or website you know is real (from your bank statement, card, or official app—not from the suspicious message).
• Report the fake alert to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov so authorities can track the scam.