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Beware of "Vishing" Scams

You've likely heard of "phishing" scams that use fraudulent e-mails as bait to lure unsuspecting consumers to give up personal information that results in identity theft. Now there's a new twist, called "vishing," or voice phishing that may be on the rise.

Consumers may receive a telephone call advising them that an account at their financial institution has been suspended and that they need to verify information. The caller states they are with the financial institution or a security company working for their financial institution and asks for their PIN number and other personal data.

Potential victims of "vishing" may also receive an email or telephone message instructing them to call a phone number set up specifically to gather data. An example of a "vishing" message may state 'After three unsuccessful attempts to access your account, your (financial institution) account has been locked. This has been done to secure your accounts and to protect your private information. (Financial institution) is committed to make sure that your online transactions are secure. Call this phone number (1-xxx-xxx-xxxx) to verify your account and your identity.' Those who fall for the pitch and dial the number hear a simple automated message that says "Welcome to account verification. Please type your 16-digit card number." Since a consumer is commonly asked to punch in account numbers when dealing with financial institutions over the phone, this would not necessarily seem suspicious.

Remember, we WILL NEVER initiate contact with you by e-mail, text message or telephone to collect personal information. You should use extreme caution when giving out any personal information to a caller, especially a credit card, debit card, or PIN number.