New Bank-PIN Scam To Beware Of

Earlier this week, a Twitter user shared what he called "the most credible phishing step I've experienced to date." Here's how the scam goes:

• Someone calls up, says they're from your bank, and asks if you've used your debit card in a far-away city.
• When you say no, they say they've "blocked" the transaction and ask for your member number--which is a customer number, not an account number.
• They then say they're sending a "verification PIN," which comes from a number that you'll probably associate with your bank.
• You're then asked about a few more legitimate charges and asked for your pin number.

This is when he knew he was being scammed, hung up and called his bank. Only then did he realize that the scammer had reset his password with the verification number they sent to his phone. "Everything before the 'what is your pin' seemed totally legitimate," he wrote. "English was perfect. The bank verification code, sent by the expected number, tricked me. The asking for my PIN over the phone? Not so much."

While I haven't seen any reports of people in the Valley getting this call, it's definitely possible that it can happen. Don't fall for it!