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Get Answers to Your Banking Questions

Report a Scam or Fraud

Banking scams involve attempts to access your bank account. Use this information to recognize, report, and protect yourself from them.

Popular banking scams

A few of the most common banking scams are:

Overpayment scams - A scam artist sends you a counterfeit check. They tell you to deposit it in your bank account and wire part of the money back to them. Since the check was fake, you’ll have to pay your bank the amount of the check, plus you’ll lose any money you wired.

Unsolicited check fraud - A scammer sends you a check for no reason. If you cash it, you may be authorizing the purchase of items or signing up for a loan you didn’t ask for.

Automatic withdrawals - A scam company sets up automatic debits from your bank account to qualify for a free trial or to collect a prize.

Phishing - You receive an email message that asks you to verify your bank account or debit card number.

Report Banking Scams

The proper organization to report a banking scam to depends on which type of scam you were a victim of.

  • Report fake checks you receive by mail to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
  • Report counterfeit checks to the Federal Trade Commission, either online, or by phone at 1-877-382-4357.
  • Contact your bank to report and stop unauthorized automatic withdrawals from your account.
  • Forward phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you got a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726).
  • Report any phishing attacks to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.