Protecting Your Account From Imposter Scams
The call starts with a warning and quickly becomes an offer to help. Someone claiming to be from your financial institution says they’ve spotted suspicious activity on your account. They sound prepared to handle it. All they need, they say, is your cooperation.
You don’t have to be careless to get caught off guard by a scam like this. A call about your money can put you on edge, especially when the person calling seems to know exactly what to say. In that moment, taking a breath can be more useful than acting quickly. Here’s how the conversation can unfold.
That “Fraud Department” Call Could Be the Fraud
Your phone rings. The caller says there’s suspicious activity on your account.
“Did you make this purchase?”
You say no.
The caller says, “Don’t worry. We’ll secure your account. I’m sending you a verification code now. Please read the code back to me.”
Your phone receives a real security code, so the call feels legitimate.
But this is where you need to stop.
The FBI has warned about criminals impersonating financial institution employees and convincing people to provide passwords, multifactor authentication codes, or one-time passcodes.
Never share a one-time passcode with someone who contacts you.
If you receive an unexpected call or text about your People First account, don’t allow the person contacting you to pressure you into providing security information. End the conversation and contact People First using a trusted number or contact method.
