3 On Your Side: Barclays Bank Phone Scam Making Rounds In Our Region
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We have a warning tonight about another phone scam to be aware of. 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan tells us this one involves a recorded message saying there is a problem with your debit or credit card.
Our 3 On Your Side Consumer Unit has received several reports about this scam from our viewers and newsroom staff. The recorded message claims to be from the fraud detection department, and in several cases it specifically mentions Barclays Bank. The recording says that your account has been locked, or that a temporary hold has been placed on your card. It asks for you to punch in your account number for assistance.
Earlier today I spoke via Skype with Adam Levin, Chairman and Founder of Identity Theft 911 who explained what can happen if you punch in your account numbers in response to this sort of call. Levin says, "The whole purpose is to gather all of the data that they need. They're getting your credit card number, your expiration date and your security code this is perfect for a card-not-present transaction and they're very sophisticated. So they're getting the numbers in the order that you are punching them in and what comes out is a real valid credit card that they can use immediately."
No bank will cold-call you and ask you for account information. If you get this sort of call, hang up and call your bank using the number on your credit or debit card to be sure nothing is wrong with your account.
By the way, the IRS phone scam still happening in our area. If someone calls claiming you owe money to the IRS demanding immediate payment, hang up, it's a scam. If you do owe money the IRS will contact you via the mail.
For more information on protecting yourself from scams and rip-offs visit: http://idt911.com/KnowledgeCenter/ProtectYourself.aspx
