A Chicago business owner, Milan Jackson, lost $20,000 to a sophisticated phone scam, and Bank of America won’t reimburse her.
The Scam
Jackson received a call from someone claiming to be from Bank of America. The caller said someone was trying to steal $20,000 from her account and instructed her to wire the money to a different account to protect it. The scammer cleverly used a phone number that matched the one printed on the back of her Bank of America debit card, making the call appear legitimate. After wiring the money, Jackson realized she’d been scammed.
Bank’s Response
Bank of America confirmed the scam but refused to refund Jackson’s money. The bank stated that while they try to recover stolen funds, they aren’t liable for losses from this type of theft. They emphasized that they would never call customers and ask for money or wire transfers.
FBI Warning
The FBI identifies this type of crime as a “phantom hacker” scam and warns that these scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Scammers are able to spoof phone numbers, making it appear as though the call is coming directly from the bank. The FBI stresses that these scams target anyone.
Important Note:
Remember, banks will never ask you to wire money or transfer funds to protect your account. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately and contact your bank directly using a known phone number.
