"Fraud Alert" Text From Your Bank — How to Tell If It's a Scam
You received a text that looks like a fraud alert from your bank asking you to confirm a suspicious transaction by replying YES or NO, or clicking a link. Real bank alerts never include links. Scammers send these to trick you into sharing your login credentials or calling a fake fraud department.
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How This Scam Works
Critical Risk — Credential Theft via Fake Bank Alerts
Real bank fraud alerts never include links. If a text from your bank includes a link, it is a scam designed to steal your banking credentials.
Note: This scam typically arrives via text message, not email. If you received a suspicious email, forward it to check@scam.support for a free risk assessment. For text scams, report to the FTC — see all reporting agencies.
You receive a text that appears to be a fraud alert from your bank. It may ask you to confirm a suspicious transaction by replying YES or NO, or it may include a link to "verify your identity." Replying or clicking the link connects you to scammers who then call posing as your bank's fraud department and trick you into sharing your login credentials or transferring money.
According to the FTC, bank impersonation was the most reported type of text message scam in 2023, with reported losses from all impersonation scams exceeding $2.7 billion.
Red Flags
- Text includes a link — real bank alerts do not include links
- Asks you to reply YES or NO to confirm a transaction
- Creates urgency about a suspicious charge
- Sender is an unfamiliar short code or phone number
- Asks you to call a number that is not on the back of your card
What You Should Do
What To Do
- Do not click any links in the text
- Do not reply to the text
- Call your bank using the number on the back of your card
- Log into your banking app directly to check your transactions
- Forward the scam text to 7726 (SPAM)
Sources
- FTC — Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2023 (impersonation scam reports and losses)
- FTC — New FTC data analysis shows bank impersonation is most-reported text message scam (2023)