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If an unexpected bank text or email says your account is at risk, don’t reply, click, or call a number in the message. Verify the alert independently: open the banking app you already use, manually visit the bank’s known website, or call the number printed on your card or statement. A convincing sender name, logo, or caller ID does not prove the alert is real.
What to do when a bank message asks you to verify your account
Pause and use a contact route you obtained independently of the message. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) states: “Banks and credit unions never ask for account information through email or text message.” That guidance page was last reviewed April 15, 2024. An unexpected request to provide account details is a reason to verify through a trusted channel, not to reply with information.
- Stop interacting with the message. Don’t reply, tap a link, open an attachment, enter credentials, or call a number it supplies.
- Choose a trusted route. Open the bank app you normally use, type the bank’s known web address yourself, or call the number on your card or account statement.
- Ask the bank to check the specific alert. Describe the alleged charge, login, or account issue and ask whether it appears on your account. Let the bank—not the message sender—guide any next steps.
- If the message names a bank you don’t recognize, verify the institution separately. For a bank claiming to be FDIC-insured, the FDIC says consumers can use its BankFind Suite to look up the institution by name or website address.
The key distinction is how you reached the contact route: details from a card or statement, an established app, or a manually visited site are independent of the suspicious message. A phone number, link, or reply option inside that message is not.
Signs a bank text or email may be phishing
Scammers may impersonate a bank’s fraud department and claim there is a large purchase, suspicious login, locked account, or payment problem. Urgent wording is meant to make you act before checking. Some schemes begin with a text and escalate to a phone call from someone claiming to be the bank’s fraud team; the follow-up call does not independently verify the first message.
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- It pressures you to act immediately to stop a charge, unlock an account, or avoid a consequence.
- It asks for account information or a login verification code. Never tell a caller or texter a verification code. A code is for you to enter as part of your own login; a person asking you to share it may be trying to access your account.
- It directs you to a link, attachment, phone number, or reply route to investigate the alleged problem.
- An email has suspicious details such as unexpected links or attachments, misspellings, or unusual fonts. The FDIC identifies these as warning signs, but a polished message without them is not proof of authenticity.
Familiar branding, a plausible bank name, a sender label, or caller ID can be imitated. Don’t decide whether a message is genuine based on appearance alone. The FTC’s advice for unexpected texts is not to reply; verify with the organization using contact information you already trust.
Why these impersonation messages deserve caution
Reported figures illustrate the scale of the problem, but they do not measure every incident or predict any one customer’s risk. In a June 2025 consumer article, the FDIC relayed FTC figures of $12.5 billion in reported consumer fraud losses in 2024, with imposter scams the second-highest reported loss category. The FDIC also reported that FTC findings showed bank-impersonation text scams grew nearly twentyfold from 2019 to 2022; bank impersonation was the most reported scam occurring through text messages in 2022. The same FDIC article cited a typical consumer loss of $3,000 for someone who fell for the described bank-impersonation scam. That is a reported typical loss in that context, not a guaranteed or current amount.
If you clicked, replied, shared information, or approved something
Stop communicating through the suspicious message and contact your bank promptly through the app, known website, or number on your card or statement. Tell the bank what happened as specifically as you can—whether you clicked a link, entered credentials, shared a code or account detail, or authorized a payment—and ask what account-protection steps it recommends.
If you disclosed personal or financial information
If you think you gave away a Social Security number, credit-card number, or bank-account number, the FTC directs consumers to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. Report the incident to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The CFPB also identifies the FBI, your state attorney general, and local police as possible contacts for scam or fraud help.
If you clicked a link
A click alone does not establish that your device has been compromised. The FTC advises updating security software and running a scan for viruses and malware after clicking an unexpected email link. Follow your bank’s account-specific instructions as well, especially if you entered a password or other details.
How to report a suspicious bank text or email
- Forward an unexpected text to 7726 (SPAM). The FTC recommends this reporting route for suspicious texts.
- Report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Consider other official contacts when appropriate. The CFPB lists the FBI, your state attorney general, and local police as possible places to seek help with a scam or fraud.
These reporting steps do not replace contacting your bank about account access, transactions, or protective measures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.For customers outside the United States
The agencies and reporting services above are U.S.-specific. If you are elsewhere, verify the alert through contact details in your bank’s official app, on your card or statement, or on its known website, and report suspected fraud to the relevant authority in your country.
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