Asked Siri to call your bank? A scam could cost thousands
Asking Siri to call American Express connected an 82-year-old woman to a bogus number that nearly drained $100,000 from her Bank of America account.
TL;DR
- A woman was scammed after asking Siri to call American Express, instead reaching a bogus number.
- The scammer attempted to trick her into sending back an overpayment of $100,000 from her Bank of America account.
- The woman caught the scam when the amount escalated and froze her account, narrowly avoiding a significant financial loss.
- The Better Business Bureau warns that fake customer service numbers can appear in search results and be used by voice assistants.
- The safest way to contact banks or credit card companies is by using the number on the physical card or through the institution's official app.
- Scammers may use fake overpayment schemes, impersonate bank representatives, or request verification codes or remote access to devices.
- Victims should immediately hang up if a call becomes suspicious, contact the company using a verified number, and report the fraud.
- Steps to protect oneself include setting up bank alerts, strengthening account logins, protecting phone numbers, and freezing credit.