KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com | Latest Scam Uses Automated Prompt

Latest Scam Uses Automated Prompt

By Camaron Abundes  
NewsWest 9

MIDLAND- A new type of scam is so convincing the President of the Midland Market, First National Bank called Newswest 9 to spread the word.

"A customer could potentially receive a voice mail that says they're debit card has been deactivated please call a 1 800 number," Jay Isaacs, President of the Midland Market, First National Bank, said. "Once you call that 1-800 number, you would be prompted to enter your account number and pin number and you would never be asked to do that by most any bank."

Isaacs says the Texas Comptrollers Currency office called the Bank to warn them of how scam artists are using the First National Bank name in West Texas to gather personal information for fraudulent use.

"We don't want our bank to be involved in any type of scam or associated with any type of scam, but more importantly we don't want customers to be damaged by any fraudulent activity at all," Isaacs said.

"If you think of it. It's a scam" Joann Carlton, who says she heard of just about every scam.

Isaacs says this is the first time he's heard of a scam like this.

Ida Ramirez, who was out shopping with her family says she may have fallen for it.

"Probably. If it was all automated not if it was someone talking to me," Ramirez said.

The scam is all automated and Isaacs says it's not unheard of for a bank to require you to punch in your account number, but adds they'll never ask for your account number and pin number.

"If anyone in Midland were to receive that message, they should call their bank first," Issacs said who added that your bank will call the proper authorities.

While the scam goes to great lengths to sound legitimate some say they would never fall for it.

"I would be afraid to give my pin number to anybody. Even if they said it was the bank," Robert Simmons, said.