05/03/2024
PSA: I got a SCAM call today that you should know about and be on alert for.
The call was from an 877 number and the caller claimed to be with Bank of America, purportedly from the new account division, supposedly calling to make sure of my identity, etc., for a new account application that had been initiated in April. The caller provided me with several bits of my personal information, a supposed "last 4 digits of" the supposedly-initiated account number, a date on which the application was supposedly created, part of my DOB (just part though), my name but in a form I don't typically use, and an old address from a different state.
I thanked him for the call and for his good work on exposing possible phone scams... and called BoA myself.
Nope, no such account was opened/initiated.
It was totally a scam.
Sounded slightly convincing.
But it doesn't matter if it "sounds convincing" or not.
Be on the alert and DO NOT -- EVER -- GIVE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION to anyone who calls you, for any reason.
It doesn't even matter if you feel/sense/think that it sounds legit or they're friendly or they speak good English, etc. Do. Not. Give. Your. Information. To. Anyone. Who. Calls. You. To. "Verify." Your. Personal. Information.
Hang up from that call, look up for yourself the number of whatever institution they're claiming to be from, call them and work with them to uncover the truth of the situation.