Not sure if this is the appropriate sub for it, but wanted to let local people know that there is a phishing scam that almost grabbed my mother just now. A number that traces back to a bank called BMO called her insisting they were from BECU’s fraud department claiming her debit card had been used to spend $300 at a Sally’s Beauty Supply in Connecticut as well as another couple hundred at a Walmart and something called “Kevin’s iPhone.”
They asked for first the last eight digits of her card number, the security code on the back, and while she did give them that she thankfully got suspicious enough to refuse to give them the whole ten digits or the “voice recognition” they kept demanding. She was able to put a pause on her card while speaking to them. They kept dodging the question when she asked why the number was coming up as a completely different bank or a personal name and even had a second person call claiming to be the first one’s manager.
Thankfully, BECU was very helpful when we called them directly and managed to shut down her card before any real damage was done, but I want to make sure others are aware of this scam. They clearly did some research and tried to put effort into sounding as legitimate as possible. The number they called from this time was 1-888-340-2265 which is supposedly “BMO Harris Bank.” BECU also sends fraud alerts by text or automated call, not directly from a CSR.
Stay safe and make sure your senior relatives are aware of this too!
submitted by /u/VGSchadenfreude
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