Cell Phone Scam
Indiana family warns others of cell phone bank scam – 13 WTHR Indianapolis
http://www.wthr.com/story/25302275/2014/04/21/indiana-family-warns-others-of-cell-phone-bank-scam
Updated: Apr 22, 2014 1:51 PM
By Steve Jefferson – bio | email
NOBLESVILLE –
Telephone scams are not just for your home phone any more. Now, cell phone owners are getting calls about so-called problems with their bank accounts. How you respond to the call could cost you money.
Dave Hulka runs a home business doing laser markings on mirrors for sporting vehicles. It’s his bread and butter to take care of his family. But recently, cell phone scammers thought they had him eating out of their hands.
“I answered the phone and it said ‘Your debit has been recently suspended. To continue, press 1’,” he said. “So when you press 1, the next question is to enter your 16-digit account number.”
Hulka and his wife, Amy, knew right away it was a scam, trying to get their bank card info. Now, Amy is out and about as she warns people about the scam, especially after learning the scammers have called dozens of people she knows.
“If they can make that many calls that fast, I bet they can get your money out pretty fast,” Amy Hulka said.
What’s worse, their 12-year-old son Ben got the same call on his new cell phone.
“I heard what it said and then I hung up and texted my mom,” he said.
As the Hulkas continue to grow their home business, they received some critical advice from their bank they want to share with others.
“That’s what our bank told us. Don’t ever give that out over the phone. We have that information,” Amy said.
The Consumer Protection Agency warns you not to give out your account numbers over the telephone under any circumstances, especially to companies where you don’t initiate the contact.
