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Contact your bank or credit union immediately using the number on your card or statement, or its official website or app that you open independently. Tell it you entered your bank login in a suspicious app, ask it to secure online access, and have it check for unauthorized activity. Then change the exposed password from a device and login channel you trust, review transactions and account settings, and take additional steps if payment details, identity information, or device permissions were also exposed.
What should I do if I entered my bank details into a suspicious app?
- Call your bank or credit union now. Use the phone number on the back of your card, on a statement, or on the institution’s official website or app reached independently. Explain what happened and ask the bank to secure your online access and review recent transactions and account changes. The FBI recommends contacting your financial institution as soon as you recognize fraud.
- Change the exposed password safely. From a device and login route you trust, reset your bank password and any other credentials you entered. If you reused that password on other sites, change it there too. If you cannot get into the account, use the bank’s official recovery process—not a link or phone number sent by the suspicious app or someone who contacts you afterward.
- Check for unauthorized activity. Review recent transactions and account settings, including withdrawals, transfers, payees, phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact details. Report anything you did not authorize to the bank immediately.
- Take action based on what else was exposed. If money moved, ask the bank about its fraud-reporting and recovery process. If you entered a Social Security number or other identity details, use the identity-protection steps below. If the app had access to phone data or you see signs the device itself was accessed, address its permissions and security.
- Keep evidence and report the incident. Save the app name and listing or URL, messages, screenshots, dates, transaction records, and the bank’s case or reference number. U.S. reporting options include the FTC and, for account takeover or fraudulent wires, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Do not rely on an incoming call, text, or email claiming to be from your bank. The FBI’s IC3 warns: “Companies generally do not contact you to ask for your username, password, or OTP.” Contact the institution using a channel you verified yourself.
How do I change my bank password and protect other accounts?
Change the password as soon as you can, but do so through a trusted device and the bank’s independently verified site or app. Use a new, strong password that you do not use elsewhere. If you entered a username, password, one-time passcode, or other login information, tell the bank exactly what you disclosed; it can advise whether to reset access or revoke compromised credentials.
Change any reused password on every other account where it was used. Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) for the bank and other accounts when available. MFA adds a security layer, but it does not undo an exposed password: the FBI cautions that it may not protect you if you submit credentials on a fraudulent login page. Still report the exposure and change the password even if MFA was enabled.
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A password manager can help create and store unique passwords. The FTC recommends strong new passwords, changing reused passwords, and enabling two-factor authentication; it also suggests considering a password manager.
How should I check for unauthorized bank activity?
Look beyond the transaction list. Check for unfamiliar withdrawals, transfers, new payees, and changes to contact details or account settings. Report unauthorized activity to the bank promptly and follow its instructions for documenting and disputing it. If money has moved, ask the bank about its fraud-reporting and recovery process; there is no universal recovery outcome or deadline established for every institution, transaction, and jurisdiction.
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If the unauthorized transaction was a fraudulent wire transfer, IC3 says to alert both your bank and IC3 immediately. Continue monitoring the account after your first review, since new activity or account changes may appear later.
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Does entering a bank password mean my phone is infected?
No. Entering credentials into a suspicious app does not, by itself, establish that your phone or computer is infected. The risk is different if you installed an app and granted it access to messages, contacts, saved passwords, or card information. The FDIC warns that suspicious apps may request those kinds of permissions.
- If you installed the app, stop using it and review its permissions in your device settings; revoke access where possible.
- If you see signs that the app accessed other device data or installed unwanted software, update trusted security software and run a scan. The FTC advises seeking help from the device maker or a trusted technical person if needed.
- Do not enter banking credentials into the app again, and do not treat a device scan as a substitute for notifying the bank or changing exposed passwords.
When should I freeze my credit or use identity-theft recovery?
Take identity-theft steps if you also disclosed a Social Security number or other identity information, or if you see signs someone is trying to open accounts in your name. The FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov recovery steps can help tailor what to do next.
A credit freeze is free and must be placed separately with each of the three nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. An initial fraud alert can be placed with one bureau, which must notify the others. A freeze helps address the risk of new credit being opened in your name; it does not secure an existing bank login.
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Where should I report the suspicious app or bank fraud?
For U.S. consumers, report a scam to the FTC. Report account takeover or a fraudulent wire to IC3 as appropriate, and contact the bank directly about account access and transactions. The CFPB also identifies your state attorney general or local police as possible contacts. Keep your evidence and case numbers together in case the bank or authorities ask for them.
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