Has anyone asked you to visit your bank and stay on the phone with them while you speak to bank staff or complete a transaction? They may ask you to put your phone in a discrete place so that no one knows that someone else is listening to your conversation. Some will even stay on the phone or on a video chat with you publicly.
They assure you that they are only staying on the phone with you to “help you with the transaction” and in case you have any questions during the process. They may even say that they don’t trust banks and neither should you, which is another reason they have to stay on the line – to protect you.
If you allow another person to listen in to conversations within your bank, you may be inadvertently giving them additional personal information about you, such as your bank account number, date of birth, social security number, or whatever other information your bank uses to verify who you are. They may also overhear other conversations in the bank about other people. If you are on a video call, they are receiving visual information about others and the bank as well to use on further scams in the community.
Be sure to check out our Blog or our page on Facebook for fraud tips every Friday. We’ll cover different types of fraud as well as red flags to help you identify when it might be a scam.
Remember, if you have questions about a possible fraud situation or just an uneasy feeling about a phone call, text, email, or transaction, feel free to contact the Fraud Department at (605) 934-2500.