Receiving email, text, or phone notifications from your bank is a great way to stay on top of your finances and be alerted to any potential account issues. But for scammers, such digital communications can also offer opportunities to deceive. According to the Federal Trade Commission, imposter scams—including would-be criminals posing as bank personnel—were the leading type of fraud reported in 2024, accounting for $2.3 billion in consumer losses that year. By being aware of criminals’ tactics and learning how to identify fake bank messages, you can protect yourself from falling victim to scammers and keep your personal information (and money) safe.
7 Red Flags: How To Know A Bank Account Message Is Fake
To identify fake bank account and alert messages, you should be aware of common scammer tactics and remain skeptical of suspicious communications. Similarly, you can contact the bank through channels you know to be authentic, such as a phone number or email address listed on its website, in order to confirm that a message is real.
Here are seven telltale signs that a text, call, or email message purporting to be from your financial institution may be a scam:
1. A High Sense of Urgency, Pressure, or Threats
Banks will often text, call, or email their customers about any suspicious account activity, especially when customers have signed up for alerts. But legitimate banks almost never use the type of frightening or threatening language scammers routinely use. Criminals use fake bank alert messages to create a sense of urgency and scare their targets into acting quickly—before their sense of caution has a chance to fully kick in.
(For more on how to set up account alerts for your Arthur State Bank accounts, see the “Emails & Alerts Questions” section on our FAQs page.)
2. Unknown Sender Addresses or Numbers
Legitimate banks use official lines of communication for customer messaging, requests, and alerts. Proceed with caution if you receive a banking-related message from a phone number or email address you don’t recognize. Before taking any actions in response to a message, it’s a good idea to reach out to your bank’s customer service department directly via a verified number or address to confirm the legitimacy of the communications.
3. Unknown or Unexpected Links
When sending scam emails and texts, cybercriminals will often link to websites designed to harvest targets’ personal information. For example, a fake web page may request your username and password, your account details, or your routing info, all of which scammers could use to access your account and steal your money. Instead of clicking on suspicious links, log in directly through your bank’s official website to keep your account secure.
4. Requests for Personal Information
A reputable bank will never reach out via phone, email, or text to ask for your account username and password, your PIN number, or other sensitive account details. If you do receive communications requesting sensitive information, consider it a strong indication that you have gotten a fake bank account message. To keep your details and assets safe, never provide this kind of information unless you’re logging directly into your bank’s official website or are certain that you’re communicating with a verified representative.
5. Software Installation Instructions
Scammers frequently try to gain access to victims’ personal information by tricking them into installing software, often with a claim that the software is needed for account or device security. But the programs scammers peddle are typically a means to access your devices remotely, then steal your personal information or banking details. While it’s important to keep your devices’ security software up to date, always make sure you’re downloading software from an official, verified source.
6. Typos or Bad Grammar
Reputable banks go to great lengths to create grammatically correct, error-free customer communications, but criminals are often much sloppier. If you spot a misspelled word, questionable grammar, or a punctuation problem in a message you’ve received from someone claiming to be with your bank, there’s a good chance it is fake.
7. Money Transfer Requests
Legitimate banks will almost never reach out and ask you to initiate a funds transfer of any type. If you do receive an email, text, or phone call from someone claiming to be with your bank and requesting that you move money from one account to another, consider it a major red flag that you’ve been sent a fake bank account message.
Meet All Your Banking Needs With Arthur State Bank
Proudly serving South Carolina since 1933, Arthur State Bank offers in-person service as well as a range of convenient digital solutions to meet your financial needs. We can help with everything from checking and savings to retirement accounts, mortgages, and other personal loans—contact us today.
