March 8, 2012
Fraud Alert: March 2012
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has recently received numerous phone calls from consumers who have received emails or phone calls from individuals claiming to represent our institution.
These communications are fraudulent. The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco does not conduct financial transactions with individual citizens and will never ask you for your personal financial information, such as a social security number, credit card information, or bank account details.
If you receive a letter, email, or phone call from someone who claims they are from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco you are likely being targeted for fraud or identity theft. Here are some of the scams we have monitored:
- Someone claims to have a wire transfer that can only be fulfilled if they are given access to personal information
- Someone claims to have a government grant or tax refund that cannot be released until they are provided with personal information
- Someone claims to have prize money that can only be released upon receipt of personal information
Quick Tips:
- Never provide your personal financial information
- Never send cash, wire transfers or personal checks in any amount – for any reason
- Never open emails or click on any links or attachments; immediately delete fraudulent emails from your in box
If you have already responded to one of these scams, please immediately alert your bank/financial institution, credit card company, and local law enforcement officials to alert them of a potential fraud attempt.
Additional Resources:
- The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s fraud hotline: 1-877-52-FRBNY (37269).
- Please see the The Federal Trade Commission’s website to learn more about how to deter, detect, and defend against identity theft and fraud.
- Check regular warnings from other Government authorities.
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