FinCEN Reminds the Public to be Wary of Fraudulent Correspondence and Phone Calls
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reminds the public to be alert to ongoing financial scams that attempt to solicit funds from unsuspecting victims.
Click here for full FinCEN Alert
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Fraud Alert: BBB Issues Nationwide Warning
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued a nationwide warning about a new scam claiming that President Obama will pay consumers’ utility bills through a federal program.
How the Scam Works:
Consumers are being contacted via telephone, fliers, social media and text messages and various other means with claims that President Obama is providing credits or applying payment to utility bills. To receive the money, scammers claim to need the consumer’s Social Security Number (SSN), financial institution routing number and account number. In return, the consumers are given a fraudulent financial institution routing number to use in order to pay their utility bills through an automated telephone service.
The payment service initially seems to accept the payment but then declines it within a few days of finding the banking information to be invalid. The consumer’s bill has not been paid and his/her SSN and personal financial information have been compromised.
Helpful Tips:
The BBB offers the following tips to help consumers avoid becoming victim of this scam:
- Never provide your SSN, credit card number or banking information to anyone who calls you, regardless of whom they claim to be representing.
- If you receive a call claiming to be your utility company and feel pressured for immediate payment or personal information, hang up and call the customer service number on your utility bill.
- Never allow anyone into your home to check electrical wiring, natural gas pipes or appliances unless you have scheduled an appointment or reported a problem. Also, ask the employee for proper identification.
- Think safety first, always. Do not give in to high pressure tactics for information over the phone or in person.
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E-mail Claiming to Be From the FDIC
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of a fraudulent e-mail that has the appearance of being sent from the FDIC.
The e-mail appears to be sent from “alert@fdic.gov” and includes a subject line that states: “FDIC: Your business account.”
The e-mail is addressed to “Dear Business Customer” and states “We have important information about your financial institution. Please click here to find details.” It then states, “This includes information on the acquiring bank (if applicable), how your accounts and loans are affected, and how vendors can file claims against the receivership.”
This e-mail and link are fraudulent. Recipients should consider the intent of this e-mail as an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, or to load malicious software onto end users’ computers. Recipients should not click on the link provided.
The FDIC does not issue unsolicited e-mails to consumers or business account holders.
Click here for FDIC Consumer Alerts
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Fraudulent Email Claiming to be from NACHA
NACHA has received numerous reports that individuals and/or companies are receiving fraudulent emails that have the appearance of being sent from NACHA. Specifically, the email claims be from the “Electronic Payments Association” and appears to be sent from “payments@nacha.org.” Click here for email sample
This is a fraudulent email. NACHA does not process nor touch the ACH transactions that flow through the Network. NACHA does not send communications to individuals or organizations about ACH transactions that they originate or receive.
Be aware that phishing emails frequently have attachments and/or links to Web pages that host malicious code and software. Do not open attachments or follow Web links in unsolicited emails from unknown parties or from parties with whom you do not normally communicate, or that appear to be known but are suspicious or otherwise unusual.
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Fraudulent Email Claiming to be from Federal Reserve
Individuals and/or companies are receiving fraudulent emails that have the appearance of being sent from the Federal Reserve. Specifically, the email claims to be from the Federal Reserve Wire Network and appears to be sent from “fedwire@federalreserve.gov.” Click here for email sample
This is a fraudulent email. It was not sent by the Federal Reserve. Do NOT click on any of the links.
Be aware that phishing emails frequently have attachments and/or links to Web pages that host malicious code and software. Do not open attachments or follow Web links in unsolicited emails from unknown parties or from parties with whom you do not normally communicate, or that appear to be known but are suspicious or otherwise unusual. |
