Is That Phone Call from Your Bank or a Scammer? Here's How to Tell

By Crystal Muniz, AVP, Fraud Manager, Broadway Bank

It’s easy to trust a familiar phone number or friendly voice, but even the most cautious person can be targeted by scammers. Broadway Banker Crystal Muniz shares how to spot a spoofed call and protect yourself from fraud.

What is phone number spoofing?

Phone spoofing happens when a scammer manipulates your caller ID to display an official-looking phone number, such as one from your bank. The caller ID might even display the Bank’s name or a toll-free number. The fraudster then calls or texts, pretending to be a bank employee, and tries to trick you into revealing personal or account information.

To make the scam more convincing, the impostor might use the name of a real Broadway Bank employee or reference partial details about you like your email address or the first few digits of your debit card number. They may even claim your account will be closed or your card frozen due to “fraud” unless you act immediately. But here's what to know: if the person starts asking for personal or account information, it's a scam. No matter what.

How to tell if a phone number is spoofed:

The best way to spot a spoofed call is to focus on what the caller is asking for. Keep these key points in mind:

Your bank will not call and ask for personal information.
At Broadway Bank, we will never call customers unprompted to request information we already have. If you didn’t initiate the call, never share your:

• Account number
• Social Security number
• Login credentials, passwords, or codes
• Debit card number, PIN, or expiration date
• Any other personal information

Don’t trust caller ID.
Scammers can make it appear as though they’re calling from anywhere, even Broadway Bank.

When in doubt, hang up.
If something feels suspicious, end the call and contact us directly.

Have you spotted a scam?

If a phone scammer calls or texts you, your report can help stop them. Contact us and share as much information as you can, including: 

• Date and time of the call/text.
• Person and department the scammer used
• What they wanted you to do, pay or share (including amounts)
• The exact number that showed up on your Caller ID.

If you believe you’ve fallen victim to a scam, contact Broadway Bank immediately so we can take quick action to help protect your account. For more fraud prevention tips and resources, visit broadway.bank/protect.