Overview
- Federal agents describe a fast‑rising scam in which caller ID shows a bank or police number and the caller pushes the target to move funds.
- Recent reports detail a $40,000 loss to a caller spoofing Chase, a $5,000 Zelle transfer tied to a fake Zelle upgrade, and a near $1,800 miss.
- Scammers often hold real account details from the dark web or trash and can check balances using banks’ automated phone systems to sound convincing.
- Many victims do not get refunds after authorizing transfers, and officials urge people to hang up, call the number on their card, use two‑factor login, and report scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
- Fifth Third staff in La Porte, Indiana stopped a $10,000 withdrawal after spotting red flags, and the bank says impersonation scams tripled from 2024 to 2025.