Everyone says they can spot a red flag from a mile away. When a scam is right on your screen, sometimes it’s just not that easy. Scammers are deceptive and manipulative, but they’re also innovative and tactical, believe it or not.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t make mistakes or make it extremely difficult to spot a scam. If you know the signs, you’ll never have to question if a scammer is actually your bank or not.
Review these red flags of a phishing scam, because #BanksNeverAskThat –
Act NOW!
- High-pressure language
- Scare tactics
- A sense of urgency
- Example: “If you don’t do so within 10 minutes of receiving this message, your account will be closed.”
Asking for info
- Ask for sensitive account information
- Ask for passwords or your Social Security number
- Ask for your PIN or a log-in code that’s texted to you
- Example: “In order to verify your account, please respond to this email with your account number, your social security number, and your phone number to verify your account through text verification.”
Strange requests
- Ask you to visit an unfamiliar website
- Ask you to call a number different than the one listed on your card
- Example: “Click this link to verify your account information: verifymybankaccount.com”
Language & suspicious attachments
- Incorrect grammar and multiple typos
- Unprofessional language
- Email attachments and suspicious links
- Example: “Hi ther – this is ur bank regarding suspicious account activity. plese verify ur account info by clicking the linc below. thanks J”
If you receive an email from Penn Community Bank but it looks suspicious, don’t hesitate to give us a call directly to verify any messages or emails received.
