According to CBS News national consumer correspondent Ash-Har Quraishi, convince consumers they need to provide information to verify their bank accounts.
Victims first receive a text message about account activity related to their bank or credit card, and are asked to call a phone number included in the text. Other times, they receive a direct call from the scammer, who says they require “additional verification.”
That’s when the fraudster switches from an audio-only call to FaceTime. Victims are tricked into sharing their computer screens with the scammers while they log into their online banking accounts.
“The scammer watches in real-time while victims expose passwords, account numbers and even one-time security codes,” Quraishi said.
Apple says scammers are exploiting FaceTime because consumers generally trust the app and view it as a secure platform.
But the tech giant urges consumers who believe they’re receiving a suspicious FaceTime call from someone posing as a bank representative to take a screenshot of the call.
Tap the “info” button next to the call, hit “take live photo,” and send the image to reportfacetimefraud@apple.com.
Here are other tips consumers should heed to avoid falling victim to the FaceTime scam.
- Never share your screen with anyone who calls out of the blue. Apple notes that it will not ask for a customer’s password, passcode or two-factor authentication code.
- Urgency is a red flag. Anyone who pressures you to make money moves immediately should be considered suspicious. Hang up the call and contact your bank directly.
- If you receive a scammy-seeming text, don’t call the number included in the message. To contact your bank, dial the number on the back of your bank card.
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