LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Lubbock banks are warning customers about new tactics being used by scammers to steal money online.
The newest form of scam is called account takeover fraud. Scammers impersonate major companies such as Amazon or Apple, then contact victims via text, saying you have a pending refund, but the payment was for the incorrect amount.
If the victim takes action, you’ll receive an immediate phone call requesting remote access to your computer, so they can watch while you log into your online banking.
Manger of PlainsCapital Fraud Department Denise Owens says, “Once the fraudster is in the computer and the consumer logs into their online banking, the fraudster can do anything on that online banking that the customer can do.”
Banks are also seeing what they call ‘The Grandparent Scam.’ Older citizens receive a call late at night. Scammers pretend to be a family member, claiming that they have been involved in an accident or need money for bills.
Many scammers gather family member information on social media platforms. Owens says that the goal of the scammer is to panic victims into sending money. Although the grandparent scam specifically targets elderly people, they aren’t the only ones falling victim to scams like this.
Denise Owens says, “Younger customers will still sometimes fall for the fraud alert because they are so used to doing everything online that it doesn’t seem suspicious to them that this would be handled strictly online.”
Banks…
