Fraud Alert

Caller ID Spoofing

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Caller ID lets consumers avoid unwanted phone calls by displaying caller names and phone numbers, but the caller ID feature is sometimes manipulated by “spoofers” who disguise their own identity and masquerade as legitimate entities including banks, creditors, insurance companies, and even the government.

Recently, Citizens Bank & Trust Company was made aware of spoofing incidents that display our Bank’s name and/or phone number. In some cases, those receiving such calls have reported offers of debt consolidation and extended automobile warranties. It is also possible that these spoofers may attempt to deceive call recipients into providing valuable personal information to use for fraudulent activity.

To learn more about spoofing and protection from this malicious activity, click here. 

If you think you may have received a spoofed call from someone falsely identifying Citizens Bank & Trust Company as the caller, you can file a complaint with the FCC (https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=39744). Correlating information from multiple sources can sometimes assist the FCC and law enforcement agencies in isolating and prosecuting perpetrators of these crimes.