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In a statement on Friday, Oct. 27, NY Attorney General Letitia James provided tips to avoid getting scammed by callers pretending to be bank or government officials.
“Scammers claiming to be a trusted bank, or any institution relied on for financial services, can seriously harm New Yorkers by taking their money and their personal information,” she said.
James said the Office of the Attorney General has been receiving calls from New Yorkers across the state to report calls in which a purported scammer tries to get personal information, banking information, or money from the victim.
She likened phone calls to one-way streets — meaning that callers should only give out their personal information if they are the one who placed the call.
Additionally, The Office of the Attorney General encouraged New Yorkers not to engage with scam callers; instead, they should hang up the phone and block the phone number as soon as they realize the call may be fishy.
The office also warned that government agencies will not call and threaten to make arrests or demand payments. Typically, these agencies reach out to citizens via writing.
Finally, never provide Social Security, banking, or green card numbers in order to directly deposit money or to verify your identity – these calls are always identity theft attempts.
“I urge everyone to be very careful when they receive an unexpected call from any individual claiming to represent their bank or a government agency,” James concluded.
New Yorkers who suspect that they are a victim of a phone scam are urged to file an online complaint with the office’s Consumer Frauds Bureau here.
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