Potential Scam Risk from Incoming Bank Calls

Lmywifeisgrumpy on 22/06/2023 - 12:32
Last edited 22/06/2023 - 12:56 by 1 other user

Is anyone else becoming increasingly concerned at the potential for fraud when banks call customers and require an identity check?

For example, I regularly churn credit cards and often the banks try to call me to clarify some information. I’ve been regularly providing the usual details, but the more I think about it the more obvious it is to me that it could just be a scammer pretending to be a bank and hoping to find someone that actually has a current application in progress with the bank they’re pretending to be from.

Financial

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 22/06/2023 - 12:42
    +4

    How lucky would they need to be right?

    And don’t banks usually ask a security question and would have an application reference number to cross reference when calling?

    • ssfps on 23/06/2023 - 01:05

      I had a scammer call and ask about our car crash, trying to extract pii, a few days after I was rear-ended (and had lodged the crash report). That was probably the closest i've come to falling for it.
      If they're blasting enough attempts out…

  • mywifeisgrumpy on 22/06/2023 - 12:48
    +2

    Well, in my experience the call usually starts with "This is X from X bank. Before we proceed any further I just need to do a quick identity check" - and they won't provide any information to me (like reference number) until I've answered their questions.

    • Twix on 22/06/2023 - 12:54
      +7

      What do they ask for?

      Signs of a bank impersonation scam:

      • There is a sense of urgency or threat to the message – “your bank account has been accessed”, “your bank account has been locked” “a payment has been made from your account. If this was not you, please call (phone number)”.
      • The message looks different to other messages in the SMS thread, such as different wording or phrases used.
      • The message may contain a suspicious looking link. Never click on links.
      • The SMS has a telephone number to call – always find your bank’s phone number independently.
      • The caller will tell you to transfer money to a different account to ‘keep it safe’ or for ‘further investigation’. This is not standard procedures for a bank. It is a scam.

      Bank impersonation scams robbing Australians of their life savings

      • Protractor on 22/06/2023 - 16:07
        +1

        A fool and his/her money….

        • BOGOF on 22/06/2023 - 17:54
          +1

          They money

    • Settero on 22/06/2023 - 12:54
      +1

      If you have concerns, call them back, the odds of getting a scam call when you are expecting a call from your bank is rather low, you can also use your judgement on what they are asking you , name , sure , address , sure , credit card number nope…

    • Ocker on 22/06/2023 - 14:18
      +3

      If I ever get an opening comment like that I simple tell them that they called me, and so if they provide some of my identity details then I will simply say yes or no in response.
      Should they refuse I just hang up

    • markathome on 22/06/2023 - 15:12
      +3

      I get those calls to and I always lecture the guy on information security and privacy if I have the time.

    • AustriaBargain on 22/06/2023 - 18:16
      +3

      And they have to do it without a foreign accent. Not as easy as you'd think, the Average Australian has a keen ear for aussie accents.

    • dizzle on 22/06/2023 - 19:45
      +4

      I've had that a couple of times. Not from the bank, but things like my Super provider. Normally as soon as they hear me hesitate, they comment that I can call the number on the internet and provide this reference number.

      Banks in particular should have no problem if you tell them you're concerned it's someone trying to scam you. They have alternative ways to give you the info you need.

    • ssfps on 23/06/2023 - 01:07
      +2

      I had this from NAB last year, and they were frustrated that I wouldn't give info out. I asked to call them back, and they gave me a number that I couldn't verify publicly belonged to NAB. That was an annoying experience.

      • resisting the urge on 23/06/2023 - 09:03
        +3

        Most of these institutions have to fail before they can succeed. But the law ensures you have little choice but to use them, so if they lose you now they get a chance to win you back later.

        They start calling you from overseas call centres, spaffing you with sms, for marketing and personal matters.

        Even gov departments get in on the act.

        Then after years of abusing your PII in such ways and worse. they change their policy and run ad campaigns claiming they will never call you and XXX or text you and YYY. All too little too late, as by then everyone knows they will call you for whatever they like.

        The reason they do however is because it empowers them to get what they need in the cheapest way possible: And to collect the entire conversation as confirmed advice, and to use it as admissible evidence, whilst knowing you are unlikely to be able to record it at your end. This is why they call, instead of simply sending an email.

    • maeve on 23/06/2023 - 11:54

      I would not give that information to someone who called me. I would tell them I'll call the bank back and get a reference number and then call them and proceed with resolving the issue. Never give your details to someone who called you.

  • Nillionaire on 22/06/2023 - 13:12
    +3

    0% for that specifically. Just don't give any information if they call you. Tell them you'll call them back yourself if you want to. I wouldn't because I don't like doing things through the phone. I'd tell them to contact me via email and do it online myself if possible since I'm confident enough I won't fall for a fake email or scam link, or better yet, go into a branch to do it.

  • 87percent on 22/06/2023 - 13:47
    +4

    If I ever get an incoming call asking for information, I ask them for a reference number and then call back through their advertised number

    • cashless on 22/06/2023 - 17:11
      +6

      then call back through their advertised number

      Trouble with that is you could end up waiting 30 mins to get through (even longer with ubank).

  • freefall101 on 22/06/2023 - 13:56
    +7

    Easy, just go "so this is a scam". A scammer will usually hang up immediately.

    Or give them the wrong information. A bank will confirm it's wrong and ask you to try again. A scammer who doesn't already have the details will thank you for it.

    edit: lol, just got another call. Another way to pick it up is the time it takes the call to connect. Someone calling directly from the bank with a real security issue won't be mass dialing and have the moment to connect. Anyway, the call went "Hi, I'm calling from Commonwealth Bank's security department" "you tried this scam on me yesterday" click

  • jv on 22/06/2023 - 14:14
    +5

    CBA send you a code through their app, to prove it is them.

    • kmwa on 22/06/2023 - 17:50
      +1

      Really? This is a classic way for scammers to get an access code to your account.
      It might be CBA, or it might be an authorisation code that a scammer will use to transfer all your money out of your account.
      As a general principle, you should never tell anyone else a code that you've received.

      • jv on 22/06/2023 - 17:51
        +2

        Really? This is a classic way for scammers to get an access code to your account.

        How will they send a notification through the CBA app?

        • dizzle on 22/06/2023 - 19:50
          +2

          They try to log in or change the password on the website,
          the website sends you the code to authenticate,
          you tell them the code,
          they change your password and have access to your accounts.

          I don't know about CBA specifically, but I've seen examples like this before.

  • Cheaplikethebird on 22/06/2023 - 14:22

    I got a CBA robocall for an 'important message' went to prompt me for POI before continuing so I hung up. Can't believe they're STILL doing this shit.

    • jv on 22/06/2023 - 15:22

      Can't believe they're STILL doing this shit.

      Yes they are.

      I called them back to verify it was really from them.

  • Protractor on 22/06/2023 - 16:03

    You have a reason to worry.
    Especially if the call centres are offshore, or the people accessing your data have nefarious intentions or are not properly police vetted.
    But you'll never know any of that, because it's a big fat corporate confidence secret squirrel thing. You probs won't know your, ID or data is being used, until a few issues in, either.
    I can't believe banks send virgin credit cards through normal mail. Huge risk right there. Do you (anyone) trust the honest angels handling mail?

    BTW if you are being cold called and can see the incoming number hang up and check it out on Reverse Australia to see if it has been reported as a scam or a spoofed number.
    That said if you churn a lot of cards you are a prime target for scams and contact from your bank.

  • holdenmg on 22/06/2023 - 17:20

    If "often the banks try to call me to clarify some information" then maybe work on providing more detail when applying and think about what they are asking and why…

    Maybe phone the support number or select live help when applying online.

    Your applications should sail through.

    • AustriaBargain on 22/06/2023 - 18:18
      +1

      I get a lot of scam calls from numbers that are similar to my own mobile number but one digit different. Obviously spoofed, probably through hacked Androids that sideloaded some shit promising free gems in some game.

  • angywoo on 22/06/2023 - 17:25

    I always tell them I will go into a branch to get it sorted

    • jv on 22/06/2023 - 22:00
      +5

      Last time I did that, they called my bluff and closed our local branch.

      • iDroid on 22/06/2023 - 23:07

        jv…….

      • angywoo on 22/06/2023 - 23:28
        +2

        pretty sophisticated scammers

  • iDroid on 22/06/2023 - 23:06
    +1

    I don't engage with a bank cold calling me - too risky.

    I'll ask for their name and case number and ring the official bank number and get put through.

  • stwongy on 23/06/2023 - 02:44

    i used to work at a call centre for a bank and true some customers werent comfortable with the id check on outgoing calls, you can just call the line directly if you dont feel comfortable

  • DarkOz on 23/06/2023 - 07:20
    +1

    I received a Cheque Fraud call and sms from one of the big 4 yesterday. Took me 15 minutes to google up the call number and the different return call number to confirm their legitimacy. Even after that I wasn't comfortable answering all the security questions (like around 6 in total) fearing that it was a scam. Not a pleasant experience.

  • JIMB0 on 23/06/2023 - 09:01
    +3

    Give them the wrong info. If they don't question it then it's a scam.

  • Nutrino on 23/06/2023 - 10:16

    Just call them?

  • 2esc on 23/06/2023 - 12:10

    Ive never had a bank cold call me.

  • altomic on 26/06/2023 - 01:01

    get your internet banking up, ask the caller to verify the amounts for various transactions on certain days. if they are the bank then they would have this information.

    a scammer wouldn't/shouldn't have your transaction history

    you need to verify they are the bank calling.

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