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What This Scam Looks Like
Scammers are getting smarter—and more theatrical.
In one recent call captured by the Nomorobo Honeypot, a robocall warns that a $999 iPhone has been charged to your Verizon account. If you didn’t authorize the purchase, it says, press 1.
What follows is a full three-act scam:
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“Verizon Fraud Prevention”
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A friendly-sounding agent confirms your name and address.
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He says Verizon can’t cancel the charge because it’s “pre-authorized.”
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To fix it, he needs to transfer you to your bank’s fraud department.
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“Wells Fargo Fraud Department”
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A second person picks up, claiming to be from Wells Fargo headquarters.
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He asks how much you have in checking, savings, CDs, 401(k)s, and IRAs.
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Then he introduces a second terrifying charge tied to an illegal website involving children.
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To “protect” you, he asks for your date of birth and last four digits of your Social Security number.
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“Federal Trade Commission Officer”
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A third voice claims to be an officer from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
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He says hackers opened multiple bank accounts in your name and moved hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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He warns that if you don’t cooperate, your assets will be frozen and your case turned over to police for money-laundering and illegal content.
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The entire performance is a coordinated attempt to scare you into revealing everything a criminal would need to steal your identity and drain your accounts.
Why This Scam Works
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Authority: Verizon, Wells Fargo, and the FTC are all names people trust.
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Fear: Fake charges for expensive phones and illegal content create panic and shame.
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Urgency: You’re told the charges are “about to go through” or involve serious crimes.
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Confusion: Being passed between three “departments” makes the call feel official.
How to Stay Safe
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Don’t trust incoming calls about urgent charges.
Hang up. Then call back using the number on your Verizon bill, your bank card, or the official website/app. -
Never share detailed financial information.
Real fraud departments do not need to know how much you have in every CD, 401(k), or IRA. -
Protect your identity.
Never give out your Social Security number, full date of birth, or account balances to someone who called you. -
Report and block.
Report the attempt to your carrier, your bank, and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
How Nomorobo Helps
Nomorobo’s Honeypot system listens to hundreds of thousands of phone lines to spot new scam campaigns like this one. When patterns emerge, Nomorobo Max updates its defenses so that these calls can be blocked automatically before they ring your phone.
Bottom line:
If someone calls claiming to be from fraud prevention and then asks for your financial life story, hang up. Real fraud teams protect your money. Scammers are trying to steal it.
Join millions of consumers already protected by Nomorobo Max, the award-winning app that blocks scam calls and texts in real time.
Take control of your phone, reduce the noise, and stay ahead of fraudsters.
Start using Nomorobo today to protect your identity and keep your personal information safe.
