Phone scams are dangerous, particularly when scammers disguise themselves as companies you trust like Citizens Bank. In fact, scam texts are as dangerous as ever, stealing tens of billions of dollars from American consumers each year. Bank scam texts like those impersonating Citizens Bank, which go right for the target’s financial information, can lead to serious consequences like financial loss and identity theft, so it’s crucial to know how to protect yourself and your family.
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in these types of scams, making it challenging for consumers to distinguish them from legitimate bank communications. Keep reading and learn how to identify and stay safe from Citizens bank scam texts.
Like other smishing attacks (or SMS-based phishing scams), Citizens Bank scam texts aim to steal personal data like email addresses, Social Security numbers, and banking information. In addition to selling this information on the dark web, they can use it to hack into victims’ personal and financial accounts, open new lines of credit, and commit identity theft.
In this case, scammers pose as Citizens Bank to gain your trust while creating a sense of urgency. They pretend there’s some sort of issue that requires your immediate attention and private information. If a text claiming to be from Citizens Bank asks for personal information, call 1-800-922-9999 or the number on the back of your card.
There are two common types of Citizens Bank text scams:
One type of Citizens Bank text scam claims your private information has been found on the internet. The text may include a URL where your data has allegedly been found, prompting you to click it to secure your account and find out what has been exposed. In reality, the link downloads malware onto your device or sends you to a fake website that steals your information.
While Citizens Bank may text you if they notice suspicious activity on your account, they won’t scour the internet for your information. Be careful with unsolicited texts from unfamiliar numbers, even if you’re signed up for mobile notifications. Don’t respond or click on links, and never reveal private information to supposedly secure your account.
Another type of Citizens Bank text scam involves bogus claims about your account. A Citizens Bank alert scam text may claim your account has been frozen due to suspicious charges, fraudulent activity, or another fake issue. It requests that you click the link or call the included phone number to speak with a representative. Doing either, however, will connect you with scammers who aim to steal your information.
You can check your account status by simply logging in online or via the Citizens Bank Mobile Banking app. If there is an issue with your account, you’ll see a message or notification there.
Citizens Bank is just one of many financial institutions and payment services that phone scammers use as disguises for their ploys. Be careful when dealing with unexpected texts, especially if they claim to be from your bank. Be especially careful when handling unexpected texts that supposedly come from:
Since Citizens Bank sometimes sends legitimate text messages, it’s crucial to know how to recognize real ones from imposters. If you’re not a Citizens Bank customer, you can assume the text you received about your account is a scam.
If you’ve signed up for text updates, you can have Citizens Bank send low-balance alerts, payment reminders, and other helpful notifications. If you haven’t signed up for these updates, Citizens Bank may still send texts if they’ve noticed suspicious account activity.
In either case, legitimate texts from Citizens Bank do not include links, and they never ask for login credentials or other private information. If Citizens Bank does reach out, they will do so from a phone number you can verify online.
There are a few steps you can take to determine if a text from Citizens Bank is legitimate.
Never trust an unsolicited text from a number you don’t recognize. Use Robokiller’s phone number lookup tool to check if a suspicious text came from a known scammer. Keep in mind that scammers use caller ID spoofing to disguise their phone numbers, so you shouldn’t trust a suspicious text based on your caller ID alone.
Consider whether the content of the message seems like it really came from Citizens Bank. If it’s a Citizens alert text, does it match your notification preferences? If it’s a two-factor authentication (2FA) code, did you recently request one? Does the text have grammar and spelling errors, create a sense of urgency, or show other common signs of a scam? Don’t respond to suspicious messages, especially with personal or financial information.
An unexpected text containing a suspicious link is a classic sign of a smishing attack. Scammers send text messages with links to spoofed websites that steal your confidential information and use it to hack into your personal and financial accounts. Never click the link in an unexpected text message without verifying the sender.
If you get a suspicious text that claims to be from Citizens Bank, call the bank at a publicly listed number or the number on the back of your card. Citizens Bank may ask you for some basic personal information when you call them. Although it’s dangerous to reveal sensitive information when someone solicits it unexpectedly, it’s generally safe when you reach out to a legitimate company.
A Citizens Bank scam text is only the beginning of a fraud attempt. Knowing how to react properly can help you preserve your privacy, financial security, and peace of mind.
Links in suspicious text messages are dangerous because they can steal your personal data and give scammers access to your devices. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to mitigate the damage after clicking a scam link.
Citizens Bank scam texts can appear legitimate, and falling victim to one can lead to serious consequences for you and your family. Fortunately, Robokiller eliminates that risk by blocking 99% of scam texts and spam calls from reaching you. Dangerous scam messages can’t hurt you if they don’t make it to your phone.
Robokiller’s essential scam-blocking features include:
Are you ready to bolster your defenses and protect yourself from scam texts? Start your free 7-day Robokiller trial today.
Unless you’ve signed up for mobile notifications, Citizens Bank will only send you an unsolicited text message if they’ve noticed signs of potential fraud in your account. They won’t include links, and they’ll never ask for private information. Citizens Bank scam texts, on the other hand, include red flags like spelling errors, a fake sense of urgency, and two-factor authentication (2FA) codes you didn’t request.
Bank scam texts are incredibly dangerous because they can quickly wipe out your finances and steal your identity. A bank scammer may drain your accounts, open new lines of credit in your name, and commit further crimes using your identity. Successful bank scam texts can have lasting consequences including significant psychological trauma, so it’s crucial to know how to defend yourself.
Identifying Citizens Bank scam texts is especially important considering the real bank actually does text its customers. Users can sign up for text alerts regarding account balances, scheduled payments, and more. Additionally, Citizens Bank may text customers if they notice signs of potential fraud. However, legitimate texts from Citizens Bank never include links or ask for personal information.
