Residents in Missouri are falling victim to a text scam, resulting in sudden and significant losses from their bank accounts. The scam involves receiving alarming messages purportedly from Missouri banks, urging recipients to verify their identity due to unusual activity. However, clicking on the provided link leads to immediate depletion of bank balances.
The Bank of Missouri has confirmed the scam and issued a warning, emphasizing that scammers create urgent notifications and prompt individuals to enter personal information, resulting in a total loss of funds. Similarly, the Missouri Department of Social Services warns against responding to texts, calls, or emails requesting private information like birth dates, social security numbers, or EBT card details.
Instances such as a Nixa, Mo., couple losing thousands in an Apple security scam highlight the devastating impact of these sophisticated scams. Some scammers employ artificial intelligence to diversify and complicate their tactics, making detection more challenging.
To avoid falling victim, recipients should refrain from clicking links or providing information in texts or emails claiming to be from Missouri banks. Instead, they should directly contact their financial institution through trusted methods, such as local numbers, to verify the message’s authenticity.
Reputable banks typically do not communicate urgent matters via text, and even if alerts are set up, it’s advisable to verify through customer service representatives rather than clicking links.