Scammers sometimes try to cheat you out of your money by impersonating your bank over a text message. In some scams, they act friendly and helpful. In others, they'll threaten or scare you and place urgency to act quickly. Scammers will often ask you to verify account or personal information by having you tap on an unsecure link. Banks never will.
As a friendly reminder, Edmonton State Bank will never call, email or text and ask you for your account or personal information. When logging into your online and mobile banking, you should never share your authentication code with anyone. As your bank, we already have that.
Keep an eye out for these red flags!
Strange Phone Numbers
Slow it down, is that the number your bank usually uses to send text messages? Legit text message updates come from an official 4-5 digit number used by your bank.
Urgent Warnings or Requests
Take a breath. Phishing texts try to create a sense of urgency and panic, such as threatening to suspend your account or urging you to login to verify. Edmonton State Bank will NEVER ask you to login.
Odd Grammar or Spelling Mistakes
Spot-Check! If you see misspelled words or odd grammar, they are clear signs of an impersonator. Real banks use speck check!
Requests for Personal Information
If a text message requests personal or sensitive information, such as account numbers, PINs, passwords, or social security numbers, you can assume it is a scam.
Suspicious Links
Be cautious of suspicious links within texts. Don't tap on a link if you cannot verify who it is from. If you question the validity of a text message, contact the bank before taking action.