People's United Bank Issues Renewed Card-Related Scam Warnings

HARTFORD/TOLLAND COUNTIES, CT — The increased popularity of debit card purchases has prompted renewed warnings from People's United Bank about elaborate scams.

Several advisories have been sent to customers over the past several days. Warnings have also popped up on social media.

A typical debit card scam goes something like this

"Hello, (Customer name). I'm calling from (bank name)."

(The bank's name appears on the caller ID.)

"We are calling to alert you to unusual charges on your debit card ending in 1234 at several retailers in recent days. I need to verify your Social Security Number ending in 4321, and confirm your User ID and account number in order to stop this unauthorized activity on your card."

Do not correct the information or offer any information, bank officials said. It's a scam, they added.

"People's United Bank will never call or text a customer unsolicited asking him or her to provide, verify or update passwords, user names or security codes, or account information such as Social Security Number, Account Number, Credit Card Number, or other personal information," according to the warning "People's United Bank will also never call unsolicited asking you to respond to a text message or to share a texted security code."

Bank officials said scammers are getting more difficult to spot by using the following tactics:

• Manipulating or spoofing caller IDs to make calls appear to be from someone trusted, like the bank
• Conveying a sense of urgency that pressures a customer into acting too quickly
• Providing partial but factual information about an account and requesting the account holder to confirm that information on-the-spot
• Requesting that a card holder immediately disclose additional personal or account information so that the caller "can help."

Here are tips to avoid getting scammed, according to bank officials:

• Don't assume the caller ID is actually who's calling
• Don't confirm private personal or account information over the phone, or by text or email
• If texted a security code, do not share that security code with anyone over the phone — it should only ever be used only by you to access your account
• The bank will never call unsolicited and ask for a texted security code
• The bank will never call unsolicited and ask for a response to a text message

Bank officials said if any of the things happens, hang up and dial the listed number of the bank.