Arvest Bank is warning of text scams targeting customers. The most recent text scam appears as an Arvest alert about a suspicious charge, asking the customer to click a link to provide personal information.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, fake bank security messages were the most common type of text message scams reported in 2022. Typical text scams can include links that send the customer to websites that ask them to enter personal data, such as financial information, usernames and passwords.
“Scammers can easily make texts appear legitimate to trick the customer into providing sensitive data that can allow them access to email, bank accounts and other personal information,” said Tara Muck, spokesperson for Arvest. “At Arvest, we will never initiate contact to ask customers for personal data. In fact, it’s best practice for anyone to only provide that information when they contact their financial institution directly.”
Muck shares some common text scams to watch for:
- A link that asks you to enter personal information
- A message that urges you to take immediate action
- An unprompted request to complete a transaction
- Claims that your debit or credit card has been locked
- Missed delivery notifications from delivery services
“The best thing to do when receiving an unexpected text is take a moment to carefully read it before you click on any link,” Muck said. “Many banks have fraud protection programs that include text alerts, which can cause customers to be easily tricked when receiving a fake bank text message. If you’re not sure it’s legitimate, contact the bank that is claiming to be the sender.”
If someone suspects they are a victim of fraud, they can report suspicious activities to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, as well as their local financial institution.
About Arvest
With more than $27 billion in assets, Arvest Bank is a community-based financial institution serving more than 110 communities in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Established in 1961, Arvest Bank is committed to meeting the needs of its more than 830,000 retail and business customer households by continually investing in the digital tools and services customers expect. Its extensive network of more than 200 banking locations provides loans, deposits, treasury management, wealth management, credit cards, mortgage loans and mortgage servicing as a part of its growing list of digital services. Arvest is known for its commitment to the communities it serves and to attracting, hiring and retaining a diverse group of talented people. Arvest is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC.