For more information, contact Cheryl McCollum, 608/441-1216
MADISON – In the last week, a wave of calls have plagued Wisconsin consumers from con artists who are seeking bank account information. More than 10 Wisconsin banks have reported a jump in the number of calls their customers have received from these scam artists who are asking for bank account numbers. The Wisconsin Bankers Association reminds consumers to never give out personal financial information over the phone or the computer, unless you were the one to make the first contact.
“No matter how official it may seem, banks will never send e-mails or make calls requesting personal information,” said Kurt Bauer, president/CEO of the Wisconsin Bankers Association. “Banks will never ask you to ‘verify’ your financial information.”
Most of these incidents involve someone calling a resident and claiming to be from their bank. They tell the individual their account is in jeopardy or has been illegally accessed and then ask for their bank routing number, account number and the number of their next check. Some of these con artists are claiming to be a bank security officer or they say there are from a nationwide “verification group” or “clearinghouse.”
One report from a bank in Northcentral Wisconsin noted that the caller was “abusive and intimidating when the customers said they would call (the bank) to straighten out the problem.”
Beloit, Milton, Blair, Black River Falls, Monona, Baldwin, Walworth County, Boscobel, Tomah, Cameron and Amherst are where some of the calls to consumers have been reported.
As a reminder, consumers should check and balance their credit card and bank account statements each month. Be sure to report unauthorized charges or other irregularities immediately. Also, consumers who do respond to a fraudulent e-mail or call should contact their bank immediately and report the incident.
Bankers also report that senior citizens have recently received an unusually large number of calls stating that they have won the lottery and should “send money” to collect their prize. In addition, there has been a rise in reports of calls to seniors that they should “send money” because their grandchild is in distress. Sweepstakes and “grandchildren in distress” scams are particularly prevalent among people age 70 and older. The WBA reminds consumers to always be on your guard of any company asking for money.
These types of con artists convince up to five percent of the public to respond to their scams each year, Bauer said. “Make sure you’re not a victim.”
The Wisconsin Bankers Association and its nearly 300 bank members are part of an instantaneous alert fraud system called FinCrime that stretches across 13 states, mostly located in the Midwest. Law enforcement officials may also join the FinCrime network.
“FinCrime provides an additional layer of protection for banks against fraud, said Bauer. “FinCrime allows for ‘Amber Alerts,’ if you will, for financial fraud,” Bauer said. “In this case, the purpose is to warn other institutions and prevent crime before it occurs.”
