How to Tell if a Call Is Really From Your Bank

You can’t tell from caller ID or from what the caller knows about you. The reliable way to check is to hang up and call your bank yourself, using the number on the back of your card or on your statement. If there is a real problem, the bank can tell you. If the caller asked you to move money to protect it, it was not your bank.

Why bank calls are so easy to fake

Bank impersonation is the costliest kind of impostor scam. In a July 21, 2026, consumer alert, the FCC said that according to the FTC, bank impersonation scams account for the highest losses of any impersonation scam category, and victims often lose everything in their account.

Scammers can make your bank’s name or number appear on your phone. The FCC says they spoof numbers of companies and government agencies you already know and trust. They may also have some of your details, which makes the call feel real.

The FDIC describes a common setup. You get a text asking you to confirm a large purchase you didn’t make. If you respond, someone calls pretending to be from the bank’s fraud department and asks for your personal information. According to the FTC figures the FDIC cites, a typical person who fell for this lost $3,000.

What a real bank will not ask

The FCC and the American Bankers Association list things that should make you hang up:

• Moving money to “protect” it. The FCC says banks will never call or text and ask you to move your money to protect it.
• Turning savings into gold or crypto. The FCC says calls that claim the bank is working with a government agency and tell you to do this are always a scam.
• PINs, passwords or Social Security numbers. The ABA’s Banks Never Ask That campaign says to ignore requests for this information.
• Keeping it a secret. The ABA lists a request for secrecy as a sign of a scam.
• Logging in or sending money with a payment app while the caller waits.
• Clicking a link in a text or email.

How to check a call in four steps

1. End the call. You can say, “I’ll call the bank myself,” and hang up. Don’t press any buttons the caller asks you to press.
2. Find the number yourself. Use the customer service number on the back of your debit or credit card or on your account statement. Don’t use a number from the caller, a text or a pop-up.
3. Call and ask. Tell the bank what the caller said and ask whether there is a real problem on your account.
4. Tell someone you trust. If the call shook you, talk it through with a family member before you do anything with your money.

If something still feels off, the FDIC suggests contacting the FDIC before you give any information.

Signs you are on a scam call right now

• The caller says your money is at risk and you must act right away.
• You are being passed to a “fraud investigator,” a “federal agent” or a “supervisor.”
• You are asked to withdraw cash, wire money or buy gold.
• You are told to keep the call a secret.

If your parent already shared information or moved money

• Call the bank on the number on the back of the card right away. Ask to freeze or recall any transfers.
• Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and at ic3.gov if money was lost.
• Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311), Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm ET.
• The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877-908-3360, can also help.

Most bank impostor scams start with an unknown call. FamilyDefender checks unknown calls to an older parent while they happen and can warn the parent and alert family when a call looks risky.