Spoofed bank call from a fake 'fraud investigator'
Caller ID can show your bank's real number even when the caller is not the bank. Fake 'fraud investigators' have told people, including businesses, to install remote-access apps and move money to a 'safe' account. Hang up and call the number on your card.
How it works
Your phone displays the bank's usual number, so the call feels official. The person says they are a fraud investigator and that your accounts are at risk. They ask you to install a remote-access app so they can 'help,' then they tell you to move money to another account they describe as safe. Bermuda police described this pattern against businesses, and the same warning applies to regular customers: a real bank will not ask you to install remote software or transfer funds to a new account during a surprise call. Always end the call and use the number printed on your card.
Red flags
- Even if caller ID matches the bank, the person wants you to install a remote-access app.
- They tell you to move money to a 'safe' account.
- They keep you on the line and discourage you from calling the bank back yourself.
- The call is unexpected, even if some account details they mention sound familiar.
What to do
- Hang up. Do not install remote-access software or move money.
- Call your bank using the number on your card or statement, not a number from the call.
- If you already installed an app, disconnect it, tell your bank, and consider a security scan of the device.
- Report the call at ic3.gov and reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Where to report it
- reportfraud.ftc.gov — the FTC's report form.
- ic3.gov — the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.