Consider this scenario
You receive the following text message from your supervisor:
“This is Mike, I am in an important meeting right now and need a favor. Would you mind running to a nearby store to grab 5 $100 gift cards for a retirement party tonight? I forgot to go earlier and don’t have time. Send me a photo of the claim code on the back to save time. Thanks.”
It may seem like a simple request, but it is actually an impersonation scam. Fraudsters use a sense of trust and urgency to trick employees into sending funds via gift cards.
If you receive any kind of suspicious text messages that claim to be from your boss or another colleague:
- Don’t respond and reach out to them using a different form of communication to double check any requests.
- Take a pause if you can’t immediately reach them. Talk to a coworker for a second set of eyes.
Remember, never purchase gift cards or send activation codes in response to a suspicious request. Scammers often prefer gift cards because they are as good as cash and the information can easily be transferred and used online.
Visit consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2021/09/your-boss-isnt-emailing-you-about-gift-card for more tips and information.
If you are a MVSB customer and you are concerned your personal or financial information was compromised due to a scam, please call us directly at 800.922.6872 so that we can assist you with protecting your accounts and identity.
