Woman Loses $2000 in Caller ID Spoofing Scam Impersonating Chase Bank
Spoofing is a tactic used by scammers when making phone calls. By tampering with the caller ID, they appear to be calling from a reliable business. People have recently come across a more sophisticated variation of this con. Scammers now make calls that appear to be from the actual number of a company rather than utilizing fictitious ones. Sadly, a woman from a west suburban region lost $2,000 as a result of this deception. She told the ABC7 I-Team about her encounter.
Sophisticated spoofing
Naperville resident Amy Skinger-Byrd got multiple calls purporting to be from Chase Bank. The caller ID said "Chase Bank" and the phone numbers were Chase's. Surprisingly, when the ABC7 I-Team called back these numbers, they were answered by Chase Bank. However, it turned out that these calls were not from Chase Bank. Scammers can fudge the caller ID to make it appear as though the call is real, according to a Chase Bank representative. They even can pretend to be calling from the company's real number. Chase verified that Skinger-Byrd had not received a call from them.
Detailed analysis of the scam
Skinger-Byrd stated that the caller knew certain information about her previous transactions and claimed to be shielding her from fraud. He persuaded her to halt these transactions after alerting her to an attempted $2,000 withdrawal from her account. Scammers buy personal data from the dark web, hack emails, or steal bank statements to get such information. They use this information to convince bank representatives that they are genuine and gain access to transaction histories.
Skinger-Byrd unintentionally gave the con artists access to her account by sending them login codes that were sent to her phone. As such, they used the Chase Bank app's Zelle payment tool to transfer $2,000 to themselves. She counsels others in similar circumstances to get in touch with the bank directly rather than disclosing authentication codes to third parties. The bank emphasizes that customers who divulge information to unidentified parties are not protected by Chase Bank's fraud protection agreement.
Skinger-Byrd reported the incident to the police and is working with Naperville detectives. Customers may rest easy knowing that Chase Bank will never call and request personal information from you.
Risks associated with your phone number falling into wrong hands
1. Redirecting your text messages
2. Unauthorized access to your personal data
3. Seizing control of your phone through SIM swap scams
4. Distributing text scams and malware
5. Doxxing for harassment and fraudulent activities
6. Threatening to blackmail you using your sensitive information
7. Targeting you with various phone scams
8. Exploiting your family and contacts
Once malicious individuals gain access to your phone number, they can employ numerous tactics for identity theft and financial harm. If you suspect a fraudulent call, it's best to hang up and call the number on the back of your debit or credit card. To learn more about common scams and how to protect yourself, visit www.chase.com/security-tips.