Arvest Bank is warning of text scams targeting customers. The most recent text scam appears as an Arvest alert about a suspicious charge, asking the customer to click a link to provide personal information.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, fake bank security messages were the most common type of text message scams reported in 2022. Typical text scams can include links that send the customer to websites that ask them to enter personal data, such as financial information, usernames and passwords.
“Scammers can easily make texts appear legitimate to trick the customer into providing sensitive data that can allow them access to email, bank accounts and other personal information,” said Tara Muck, spokesperson for Arvest. “At Arvest, we will never initiate contact to ask customers for personal data. In fact, it’s best practice for anyone to only provide that information when they contact their financial institution directly.”
Muck shares some common text scams to watch for:
- A link that asks you to enter personal information
- A message that urges you to take immediate action
- An unprompted request to complete a transaction
- Claims that your debit or credit card has been locked
- Missed delivery notifications from delivery services
“The best thing to do when receiving an unexpected text is take a moment to carefully read it before you click on any link,” Muck said. “Many banks have fraud protection programs that include text alerts, which can cause customers to be easily tricked when receiving a fake bank text message. If you’re not sure it’s legitimate, contact the bank that is claiming to be the sender.”
If someone suspects they are a victim of fraud, they can report suspicious activities to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, as well as their local financial institution.
