If Your Bank Is Calling, Don't Answer. It's Probably a Scam.

Scammers are emboldened by AI and the opportunities it presents—for ripping group disconnected who see themselves tech-savvy. From spoofing caller IDs to creating clone people for video calls, bad actors are utilizing exertion to fleece group retired of their hard-earned money.

Reddit is afloat of thousands of stories of group getting scammed, and Bravo's Andy Cohen moreover fell for a slope scam earlier this twelvemonth that costs him "a batch of money" he told the TODAY show.

"I see myself a smart, functioning personnel of society," Cohen said, astatine the time.

Related: Andy Cohen Lost 'A Lot of Money' to a Highly Sophisticated Scam — Here's How to Avoid Becoming a Victim Yourself

Billionaire Mark Cuban said that he was scammed earlier this summer by personification who hacked into his Gmail relationship by spoofing Google's betterment methods.

In July, a Connecticut female went viral aft having her "bank relationship drained" from a caller ID spoofing scam. She filmed the video extracurricular of a Wells Fargo branch.

"I felt for illustration it was sketchy the full time, but since it came from a Wells Fargo number, I trusted it," she said successful the video.

@charlottestenz8 ‼️PSA wells fargo scam. #wellsfargo #scam #psa #fypage #fraud #bankscam ♬ original sound - Charlotte Stenz

"I sewage a telephone from a Wells Fargo number saying that I had fraudulent activity connected my relationship and that a random personification was being sent money from Zelle," she recalled. "They told maine to spell onto my relationship and that I needed to unafraid my Zelle connected my extremity by sending money that would spell backmost to my relationship correct after."

And pinch AI, these incidents are increasing. Here's really to debar getting scammed, pinch tips from Wells Fargo:

Related: Hackers Targeted a $12 Billion Cybersecurity Company With a Deepfake of Its CEO. Here's Why Small Details Made It Unsuccessful.

1. Ignore caller IDs and moreover Google searches for customer work numbers

You tin nary longer trust connected the once-cool exertion (ask your grandparents) of caller ID. Scammers tin easy spoof the tech nowadays (both sanction and number) pinch minimal effort.

There person besides been numerous reports of scams involving Google searches, wherever criminals put clone numbers connected listings for banks, airlines, and different businesses. When successful doubt, spell to the business's website to find their number.

2. Never stock backstage relationship information

A slope worker will ne'er inquire for your PIN, password, aliases one-time entree codes, Wells Fargo notes connected its website.

Related: Don't Open an Email If You See These Warning Signs — Because It Could Drain Your Bank Account, New Research Reveals

3. Never nonstop a costs to "resolve" a problem

Wells Fargo makes it clear that labor "will ne'er inquire you to nonstop money to anyone – including yourself" for anything, particularly the scammer's favorites: "reverse a transfer" aliases "receive a refund."

4. Ignore and delete entree codes you didn't initiate

If you person a one-time entree codification to authorize a transaction you didn't initiate, don't usage the code, Wells Fargo warns. The slope besides recommends not sharing it pinch anyone and deleting the matter without a reply.

5. Hang up and interaction the slope directly

The likelihood of being contacted by a slope are rare, and if it is the existent slope calling, they won't beryllium offended if you inquire to telephone back. If the personification connected the telephone is trying to get you to enactment connected the statement aliases pressuring you for information, bent up and telephone the number connected the backmost of your paper aliases spell into a branch.