Text Scam in Indiana That Wipes Out Bank Accounts On the Rise

If you are receiving a lot of fishy text messages, don't worry...you're not alone. One in particular is on the rise in the Hoosier State that you need to be aware of.

There are so many ways people can get scammed nowadays. You could get a threatening phone call from a scammer, phishing email scams, social media scams, and even text message scams. It's honestly kind of scary, especially for the elderly, who typically fall victim more often. These scammers have gotten very creative throughout the years. It's hard to not only keep up with them, but it has gotten even harder to decipher what is legit and what is a scam.

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Recently, I have been receiving some strange text messages from someone named Gary, and it asks me to either reply or click on the link within the text. Since my name isn't Gary, and I know the signs of these kinds of scams, I simply delete and report junk. However, that doesn't stop them from still sending me text messages. It has gotten pretty bad over the past month. I've even blocked the number, but I receive the same messages from other numbers. It's certain that I am not the only one getting all kinds of text message scams. That being said, Indiana officials are warning about a scam on the rise in Indiana that can easily wipe your bank account clean in just a few clicks.

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WARNING: Text Scam in Indiana That Wipes Out Bank Accounts On the Rise

Financial institutions around Indiana and the country have reported fraudulent text message schemes in the last several months. A fraudulent text message appears to be sent from a financial institution and asks the recipient to verify their account number or other personal information. I know that on my banking app, there is an alert that is currently on there saying that the bank will never ask for your personal information through the use of text messaging.

Here's a brief summary of this text scam. You will receive a text message that claims to be your bank with a link saying your bank is closing your account, denying access to your debit card, or suspicious activity has been detected. You are asked to click on the link and enter your personal information to resolve the matter quickly. However, once you do that, the scammer sending out the text will have access to your bank account and can wipe the whole thing out!

B4LLS

Here are some red flags to look out for if you get a text like this according to Liberty Federal Credit Union:

You receive a text message saying that you have been approved for a loan from the credit union and asking you to complete the application process.
You receive a text message from somebody saying they are from your bank, asking you about recent activity on your account.
You are asked to confirm your account or personal details by responding to a text message.
The sender claims that fraudulent activity has been found on your account, or that your debit card has been cancelled.
You are advised to contact a fake fraud investigations body, and discouraged from contacting your bank.

The Indiana Office of Technology (IOT) urges residents to be careful about giving out personal information and not to click on links. Call your bank directly from the number on the back of your card, not the number that texted you. The Office of the Indiana Attorney General offers these tips in regard to phishing text scams:

If you think a text might be a scam, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real.
Blocking or using restricted phone settings is an easy way to stop spam text messages.

Don’t share any personal information over text. This is not a secure method of communication, and legitimate services won't ask for personal information through text messages.