Check a bank fraud alert independently

A text, email, or call says your bank has spotted a suspicious transaction. It asks you to act right away. You may wonder whether you should respond or leave it alone.

Real banks do send genuine fraud alerts, so a warning deserves attention. But a message claiming to be from your bank isn't proof that the bank sent it. You can take the concern seriously without using the link, number, or instructions in the alert.

Here's how to verify a bank fraud alert: leave the message alone, or end the call, and contact your bank through a route you choose yourself. The number on your bank card or an app you already know is genuine can give you a separate way to ask.

Start a separate conversation

If the alert is a text or email, don't tap its links, open attachments, reply, or call a number it provides. If someone calls, you can say, “I'll call my bank to check,” and hang up. You don't have to argue or decide whether the caller is genuine first.

Find the customer service number printed on the back of your bank card. You can also use a number on a statement you already have. Dial it yourself rather than returning the call or using a number supplied in the message. The Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting your bank using a number from your statement, rather than one a caller gives you.

If you prefer, open your bank's app the way you normally do, not through the alert. Use the contact or secure messaging option in the app you already know is genuine. If you're unsure whether an app is genuine, use the number on your card instead.

Don't have your card or statement handy? Find them first, or visit a bank branch you know. If you're worried about a possible unauthorized transaction, contact the bank promptly through a trusted route rather than waiting to see whether another message arrives.

Ask the bank what it can confirm

Once you've reached the bank through your chosen route, explain that you received a fraud alert and want to check your account. You can ask:

• Is there an alert or a transaction on my account that needs my attention?
• What details can you confirm about the transaction, such as the merchant and amount?
• If I don't recognize it, what should I do next?
• How can I follow up using this same trusted route?

Have your card or statement nearby, but keep the suspicious message separate. You don't need to read out a link or follow its directions to explain your concern. The bank may need to confirm your identity during the conversation you started. If a request surprises you, ask why it's needed and how you can verify the next step through the bank's usual contact route.

Write down the date, what the bank tells you, and any follow-up steps or reference number. Keep those notes somewhere private. You can ask the representative to explain anything that isn't clear, or ask to have the instructions repeated.

An alert is a claim, not an answer

The difference is how you got there. An unexpected message or caller makes a claim about your account. A familiar bank name, logo, or phone number on caller ID doesn't establish who sent it; those details can be copied or imitated.

When you independently call the number on your card or open your known bank app, you've chosen a separate route to the bank. The answer you receive there helps you decide what to do about the account. A genuine concern can exist even if the original message turns out to be false, so ask about the account rather than only whether the bank sent the message.

If the bank confirms an unrecognized transaction, ask it what to do next and follow up through the route you chose. If it cannot find an alert or transaction, ask whether any further check is appropriate. Don't treat silence, an unanswered call, or an unavailable app as proof that the message was safe. Try the number on your card again or visit a known branch.

If the message asks you to move money

An impersonator may claim your money is in danger and tell you to transfer it to a “safe” account. Don't move money on the strength of an unexpected alert or call. End that conversation and ask your bank directly. The FTC warns that a request to move money to protect it is a scam.

Someone claiming to be from the bank may also ask for a sign-in code. Our guide to a caller asking for a verification code explains what to do without relying on the caller's instructions.

For more about unexpected calls, see how to spot phone scams targeting seniors.

If you already responded

It's okay to stop at any point. Contact your bank promptly using the number on your card or another independently chosen route. Tell it what happened, including whether you shared information, approved a transaction, or sent money. Ask what steps it recommends for your account and how to dispute any transaction you didn't authorize.

You don't have to sort everything out on your own. Our guide to what to do if a senior falls for a scam covers further recovery and support. The important next step is to reach the real bank through a route you chose, then work from the answer you receive there.