Tip of the Week - November 1, 2016 - Beware of Fake Bank of America Text or SMS Messages

Cellphones around the country are lighting up with text messages like this one, “BofA: Your Bank Card is restricted” or “This important message from BofA” or “BofA Debit Card locked”.   Each of the messages continues with a call for you to respond by making a phone call to the number provided or visiting a website.

Bank of America is alerting consumers not to respond to those messages as they are being sent by scammers trying to access bank accounts. 

“These messages are being received by many people, including those who don’t even do business with BofA,” said CSLEA Foundation Chairman Kenny Ehrman.  “It’s easy for a non-BofA consumer to recognize right away that this is a scam, but for BofA customers, it seems very real, very legit.  If you have questions about your account or the legitimacy of the text, call or go into your bank.  Do not respond to the message.”