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How to spot imposters and stop them from getting your money

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Scammers are convincing consumers like you that they are a trusted party such as a bank or law enforcement. Here are some things to remember before giving away important information.

Spotting Imposters

  • If it's incoming, it's suspect

    Scammers can fake phone numbers, email addresses and URLs. The person on your caller ID may not be who they say they are. You shouldn’t use an incoming number to call a company back because you may be calling the impostor’s number instead of a legitimate company. Don’t believe everything you see. Stop, hang up and call the company directly.

  • If they ask for information

    You should ignore any incoming requests for information, such as account balances, debit PIN, One-Time Passcodes or online credentials – especially about your financial institution. Remember, if you give out your information, your bank may not be able to protect you from fraud. Stop, hang up and call your bank directly using the number on the back of your card or statement.

  • If they ask for payments

    A sure sign of bad intent is when a caller asks you to send a payment somewhere – especially by electronic payment like a wire or payment app. Before sending money to anyone you don’t know: Stop, hang up, and call the company directly.

Stay vigilant to protect your accounts.

Bookmark our site, citi.com/fraudprevention, and visit often for the latest updates on common scams and how to spot them.