INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis massage therapist lost $18,750 to a banking scam that experts say used “sophisticated” methods.
Vanessa Walker owns InnerLight Therapeutics in Irvington.
She specializes in oncology massage, which is a type of therapy designed for people undergoing cancer treatment or recovering from cancer.
“I connect with my clients,” said Walker.
This summer, Walker had a different kind of connection.
A woman named “Christina” said she was calling from Regions Bank.
“She said that there was a person in Texas trying to make a purchase in a Best Buy,” said Walker.
She typically doesn’t answer her phone, but Walker was expecting a call from a corporate office.
So, when her phone rang with a 1-800 number, she picked it up.
Walker says to put a stop to the charges, the representative gave her a website to enter into her phone.
“It seemed legitimate,” said Walker.
The website had the Regions Bank logo, so Walker entered her user ID and password.
“They were telling me if I didn’t do it, that my account was going to be locked for 90 days,” said Walker. “As a business owner, that can’t be done. I was getting very frustrated."
Just to be sure, Walker called the 1-800 Regions Bank phone number on the back of her card.
“They took all my information, but I didn’t have my tax ID number because I wasn’t at my business," said Walker.
The next day “Christina” called again about unauthorized charges on Walker’s account
"She acts like she’s doing all this paperwork for me, and then she asks me, ‘What is your Tax ID number?’” said Walker. “Of course, I think it’s Regions. What is the one thing Regions always asks me? My Tax ID number."
In a twist, the caller had Walker enter * and some numbers, which forwarded her phone calls.
“I said what is that?” said Walker. “She said that is so we can handle any transactions that are unauthorized.”
When Walker later checked, $18,750 was gone from her business account via ACH, or electronic funds transfer.
Walker said that was retirement money she invested into her business.
“It's devastating,” said Walker. “I haven't been able to eat. I have so much anxiety. My heart is totally racing all the time. I just feel sick."
She contacted WRTV Investigates for help.
WRTV Investigates Kara Kenney called the 1-800 number that called Walker.
We received an automated message that said to leave your name and number to receive a call back, but the message did not say anything about Regions Bank.
Minutes later, “Christina” called WRTV Investigates Kara Kenney, but when Kenney asked which company she was with, “Christina” would not say. “Are you having issues?” asked Christina.
“Issues with what?” asked WRTV Investigates Kara Kenney. “With what? She just hung up on me.”
WRTV Investigates contacted Regions Bank, which confirmed the 1-800 number that appeared on Walker’s phone is not Regions Bank.
“We never want to see anyone become the victim of fraud,” Reions Bank said in an emailed statement to WRTV. “That’s why we consistently warn people to never provide sensitive information to an unsolicited caller, including anyone claiming to be from a bank. If a scammer convinces someone to provide confidential information, the scammer can often change the account’s settings and contact information.”
We also shared Vanessa Walker’s story with the Identity Theft Resource Center, a national nonprofit aimed at preventing identity theft and educating consumers about scams.
“The bad actors have gotten far too sophisticated,” said ITRC CEO Eva Velasquez. “We hear about this daily. People who tell us, I thought I was talking to my bank, and more often than not, the hook is fraudulent charges.”
Velasquez said scammers can even spoof the phone number to make it appear like it’s coming from your bank.
“Please do not trust caller ID,” said Velasquez. “It can far too easily be spoofed.”
ITRC CEO Eva Velasquez said scammers may get you to forward your phone calls to buy themselves more time.
“It’s so that if your bank is legitimately trying to get in touch with you, they can’t,” said Velasquez. “All of this is about subterfuge and hiding their behavior as long as they can so they can do as much damage as possible.”
Velasquez said what happened to Vanessa Walker is a banking imposter scam.
The Federal Trade Commission says imposter scams are the most common type of fraud, and people are losing more money.
This new FTC report shows the number was $12.5 billion lost to fraudsters last year, a 25% increase from the prior year.
In fact, the banking industry launched a campaign, Banks Never Ask That, to educate people about scams.
After losing $18,750, Walker received an email from Regions Bank warning customers about bank impersonations.
“Regions will never ask you for your username and password,” read the email. “We may ask you to answer authentication questions, but your private data should always remain private.”
Walker filed reports with IMPD, the FBI, and Regions Bank in the hopes of getting her money back.
“I never thought it could happen to me,” said Walker. “I never answer my phone."
She’s now having a hard time paying her bills.
“I’m struggling,” said Walker. “It’s scary.”
She does not have much hope that the scammers will be caught.
“I do believe whatever you put out in the universe does come back to you,” said Walker.
If you get a phone call you did not initiate:
- Stay quiet
- Hang up
- Verify by calling the institution directly using the number on the back of your card
FULL STATEMENT FROM REGIONS BANK:
“We never want to see anyone become the victim of fraud. That’s why we consistently warn people [regions.doingmoretoday.com] to never provide sensitive information to an unsolicited caller, including anyone claiming to be from a bank. If a scammer convinces someone to provide confidential information, the scammer can often change the account’s settings and contact information. If someone calls claiming to be a bank representative and requesting sensitive information [regions.doingmoretoday.com], stay silent, hang up immediately, and call your bank at a published, verified phone number. Let the bank know what happened, and consider updating passwords and login information as a safety precaution. We have more information at www.regions.com/stopfraud [regions.com] and in the Fraud Prevention section [regions.doingmoretoday.com] of our company news website because we are committed to helping people recognize common fraud schemes and how to stay safe.
We hope this story serves as a cautionary tale for others about what can happen if someone provides sensitive information to anyone claiming to be from a bank. This is why we warn people to never give sensitive details to anyone who calls asking for it. Because if scammers are able to take over your account, change your contact information, and then even impersonate you because they have routed all calls and texts to their numbers, there is very little your bank can do to recover funds they manage to steal. So, the best course of action is to remember what we've said for years: we will not call asking for sensitive information [regions.doingmoretoday.com], and anyone who does should not be trusted.”
Tips from the American Bankers Association
Phone Scams
· Unusual Caller ID
While caller ID can be spoofed, legitimate calls from your bank are more likely to display an official phone number or a known identifier. If not, be very skeptical.
· Scare Tactics or Threats
Phishing calls rely on a sense of urgency. If the caller pressures you into immediate action or threatens negative consequences, just hang up and call the number on the back of your bank card.
· Asking for Personal Information
Banks will rarely ask for your account number, PIN, or password during a phone call — and will never ask for a one-time login code. Never share such confidential details unless you’ve called the number on the back of your bank card.
· Calling you unexpectedly
Be very skeptical of calls you receive out of the blue. Normally, bank representatives will only reach out if you initiate contact first. Stay safe by ending the call and dialing the number on the back of your bank card.
Email Scams
1. Unusual Email Address
Slow it down. Does that look like an email address your bank would use? Be wary of unexpected emails from addresses that aren’t like the ones your bank typically employs.
2. Misspelled Words
Spot check! If you see misspelled words or odd grammar, they are all clear signs of an impersonator. Real banks use spell check.
3. Scare Tactics
Don’t panic. If an email uses scare tactics, such as urgent warnings of account closure or security breaches, you can safely assume it’s a scam.
4. Suspicious URLs
Hold up — banks will never ask you to log in via email. Phishing emails use deceptive URLs to take you to malicious websites. Never click links that you weren’t expecting.
5. Unexpected Attachments
Something’s phishy, because real banks will never send an email attachment — especially when you didn’t ask for it. Attachments can contain malware that can compromise your computer or personal information. Never click on attachments from emails supposedly from your bank.
Text Scams
1. Strange Phone Numbers
Slow it down. Is that the number your bank usually uses to send text messages? Legit text message updates come from “short codes,” official 4-5 digit numbers used by your bank.
2. Urgent Warnings or Requests
Take a breath. Phishing texts try to create a sense of panic, such as threatening to suspend your account or urging you to log in to verify. Real bank texts won’t.
3. Odd Grammar or Spelling Mistakes
Spot check! If you see misspelled words or odd grammar they are all clear signs of an impersonator. Real banks use spell check.
4. Requests for Personal Information
If a text message requests personal or sensitive information, such as account numbers, PINs, passwords, or social security numbers, you can assume it’s a scam.
5. Suspicious Links
Banks rarely — if ever — send links via text. Don’t click them. Instead, verify the message by visiting your bank’s official website, or calling the number on the back of your card.
