Fraud Prevention
Impersonation Scams
Impersonation scams—or imposter scams—are when someone pretends to be a trusted individual or organization, such as banks, tech support or even a government agency. Often, they’ll tell you that something requires “urgent action”—and that urgent action ends with either your personal information or your money going straight to a scammer.
When you’re contacted out of the blue by an organization or even a person you trust with a request that requires urgent action, don’t immediately reach for your wallet or log-in. Instead, take a breath and be aware of what you should look out for.
Common Variations
While a scammer could impersonate anyone or any organization, they tend to favor certain ones that prompt fear or immediate action in their victims. Here are a few of the most notable types:
- Bank Impersonation Scams: This is one of the most commons scams. Fraudsters pretend to be a trusted bank. They’ll call for a variety of reasons, such as to finish an in-progress loan, asking for overdraft fees or (ironically) warning you of a fraud attempt to set up a new account with your information.
- Grandparent Scams: An imposter will pose as a victim’s child or grandchild, saying they’re in trouble and they need money right now. They prey on kindness and urgency, and they hope you’ll be too worried about your loved ones to pause and verify their identity.
- Government or IRS Scams: Scammers may pretend to be from a government organization, most notably the IRS. Government scams, especially relating to money, often make people afraid and willing to do whatever they need to in order to stay out of legal trouble.
- Boss or CEO Scams: Oftentimes with these scams, employees will receive an email or text from their boss—regardless of their position in the company—asking them to urgently buy gift cards for them.
- Romance Scams: One of the most well-known scams out there, especially in the world of online dating. These impersonators will often play the long game, presenting themselves as the perfect partner until they ask for money to pay off a bill, take care of a medical emergency or buy a plane ticket to meet in person.
- Investment Scams: With investment scams, fraudsters will ask for an initial investment and promise quick profits in return. But when you try to cash in, the withdrawal may require extreme fees, or the scammer will have disappeared altogether.
Common Red Flags
While these scams may look very different from each other, they often have similar warning signs that should inspire you to take pause. Here are a few red flags to tip off that you’re dealing with an imposter:
- Unsolicited Contact: Were you expecting to be contacted by tech support or your bank? If a “trusted” person or organization is calling, emailing or texting out of the blue, it’s wise to be wary.
- Urgent Requests and High Stakes: Scammers rely on panic to get you to act irrationally. If you’re being threatened with jail time or fines, it’s almost always a scam.
- Unusual Methods of Payment: Gift cards, cryptocurrency and wire transfers are difficult to trace and don’t require verification. If your boss or a relative asks you for a Bitcoin transfer (when you don’t know what Bitcoin even is), it’s most likely a scam.
- Lofty Rewards for Little Effort: If it’s too good to be true, it typically is. If your “soulmate” of three days asks for help with hospital bills, or if a kindly stranger emails you offering millions of dollars for help with transfer fees, it’s going to be a scam.
Stay One Step Ahead of Impersonators
If you encounter a suspicious email or call, take these steps:
- Verify, Verify, Verify: Hang up and contact the company using an alternate communication method or number. Never trust contact info provided in a suspicious message.
- Don’t Share Personal Info: Your Social Security number, passwords and bank details are no one’s business but yours.
- Enable Caller ID and Spam Filters: Do all you can to block the bad guys.
- Report: Reach out to the company the impersonators were pretending to be. Reporting quickly helps stop scammers from targeting others.
Report fraud when you see it
If you believe you or your loved one is involved with a scam, or if you received a fraudulent email, contact Online Banking Support at 888-500-2960 (Mon - Sat, 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. CT). Also, forward any emails you believe are fraudulent to abuse@zionsbancorp.com.
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Discover the different steps you can take to help prevent becoming a victim of fraud. Take a look at the Security Center, Identity Theft, and Digital Banking pages for more resources.