How Bank of America Scam Works

The scam starts with a robocall that sounds like a fraud alert from your bank.

The caller says they detected a suspicious $1,000 charge on your account and tells you to press 1 now if you do not recognize it. That creates panic and pushes you to act before thinking things through.

If you press 1, you may be connected to a scammer pretending to be part of the bank’s fraud team. From there, they may try to:

• collect your banking details
• ask for your debit card or account information
• request passwords or one-time security codes
• pressure you into moving money or “verifying” your account

Why This Scam Works

Bank fraud scams work because they mix fear with urgency.

Nobody wants to ignore a possible fraudulent charge, especially for a large amount like $1,000. Scammers know that if they can make you worry first, they have a better chance of getting you to react before you verify the situation.

The good news: the safest response is simple.

What to Do

If you get a call like this, do not press 1.

Hang up and contact your bank directly using the phone number on the back of your debit card, on your bank statement, or by logging into your banking app or official website.

That is the smart move shown in this example. Instead of continuing the call, the recipient hangs up and decides to call the bank directly to check whether the charge is real.

Red Flags to Watch For

Be cautious if a caller:

• claims to be from your bank’s fraud department
• says there is a suspicious charge on your account
• pressures you to act immediately
• asks you to press a number to continue
• tries to get personal, account, or verification details over the phone

Even if the caller ID or script sounds official, do not trust it automatically. Scammers can spoof numbers and copy the language real banks use.