‘They know every rebuttal,’ expert warns as $58k drained from woman’s account, bank usually steps in but it was too late

A SCAM victim had $58,000 drained from her account, sparking a warning from experts about just how convincing thieves can be.

The 68-year-old was the victim of a scam that started when she received a notification from Apple Security.

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In fact, Apple does not send security warnings, meaning this alert is fake, and her device was never at risk.

If you receive a pop-up like this, it is advised that you do not follow the instructions and immediately delete it, making sure you avoid clicking on its content.

But the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman who lost $58,000 was not aware of these instructions.

On May 1, after seeing a pop-up, she was directed to call an attached number, which she did.

Someone on the other end of the phone claimed to be from her bank and said that there were some issues with her account.

The scammer pretended to transfer her around to multiple other people, attempting to throw her in convincing a loop.

After some time and multiple circles, she eventually spoke to someone who claimed to be a federal agent.

This so-called agent explained that he was contacted by the bank representatives she had just spoken to and believed the issue with her account was caused by money laundering.

This came as shock to the victim as money laundering is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The scammers gave her instructions to withdraw money from her bank, promising that it would be secure and they would send her a check for that amount later.

She proceeded to withdraw a total of $58,000 from multiple banks, according to the Sioux Falls Police Department.

Bank tellers are trained to spot potential scams and often press customers on why they’re withdrawing such large amounts of cash.

But in this case, the woman went to multiple banks to withdraw portions of the cash.

She’d also been coached by the scammer to say she needed the exorbitant amount of money to buy furniture and cars, cops said.

“Those are red flags because banks are now trained to ask those questions if you’re withdrawing a large sum of cash,” vice president for the Better Business Bureau of South Dakota, Jessie Schmidt, told local CBS affiliate KELO.

‘STEEP HILL TO CLIMB’

Sioux Falls Police Department’s public information officer Sam Clemens said cops are working to try to get the victims’ money back but “it’s a really steep hill to climb to be able to do that.”

Crimes such as this one are disproportionately affecting her age group, according to the FBI, as older Americans tend to be less tech-literate than their younger counterparts.

In 2023, there were over 101,000 reported scam victims over the age of 60, compared to just 18,000 for those under 18, according to FBI data.

Scams that targeted Americans 60 and older also caused over $3.4 billion in losses, up 11% from the year prior.

Scammers often use call technology that mimics the caller ID of an actual company or bank to make you believe it is really the organization.

This makes it difficult for older Americans to know whether it is an authentic call or not.

“It’s no different than someone sitting across the desk and has a gun pointed at you,” Schmidt said.

“That’s how threatening and intimidating they are. They know every rebuttal.”

Experts say if you get a similar phone call, take down the caller’s name and then hang up.

You should then call the bank using an established and verified number, such as the number on the back of your debit card.

It is important to note that banks will never ask you to disclose your passwords or PIN on the phone, according to TD Bank.

If questions you’re being asked make you feel uncomfortable or seem too personal, hang up immediately.

Top tips on avoiding scams from a bank

As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam:

• Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
• Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
• Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
• Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
• Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
• Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
• Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.

Source: Chase.com