Asked Siri to call your bank? A scam could cost thousands

An 82-year-old woman asking Siri to call American Express was connected to a fraudulent number, which led to a scam involving her Bank of America account. The scammer attempted to trick her into sending back a supposed overpayment of $100,000, but she caught on and froze her account. This incident highlights the risks of relying on voice assistants for financial calls and the importance of verifying numbers through official channels.

• A woman was scammed after asking Siri to call American Express, instead reaching a bogus number.
• The scammer attempted to trick her into sending back an overpayment of $100,000 from her Bank of America account.
• The woman caught the scam when the amount escalated and froze her account, narrowly avoiding a significant financial loss.
• The Better Business Bureau warns that fake customer service numbers can appear in search results and be used by voice assistants.
• The safest way to contact banks or credit card companies is by using the number on the physical card or through the institution’s official app.
• Scammers may use fake overpayment schemes, impersonate bank representatives, or request verification codes or remote access to devices.
• Victims should immediately hang up if a call becomes suspicious, contact the company using a verified number, and report the fraud.
• Steps to protect oneself include setting up bank alerts, strengthening account logins, protecting phone numbers, and freezing credit.