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If an unexpected message says your bank account is in danger, treat it as unverified. Don’t click its link, open an attachment, reply, or call a number in the message. Instead, contact your bank using a number on a statement or a website or app you already know is genuine. Never share your password or a one-time verification code, and don’t transfer money to “protect” your account.
Judge the request, not whether the writing looks like AI
Phishing messages impersonate trusted organizations and try to get you to click a link, open an attachment, pay money, or disclose account or personal information. A bank-themed message may claim there is suspicious activity or that you must update account or payment details. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises: “Don’t click on links or download attachments in unexpected messages.” FTC: Protect yourself from phishing scams.
There is no reliable consumer method established by the official guidance cited here for determining whether a particular message was generated by AI. Generative AI may be involved, but polished writing is not proof of legitimacy, and awkward wording is not proof of AI authorship or fraud. A typo, greeting, sender display name, or smooth sentence cannot settle the question. Focus on what the sender wants you to do, then verify the claim through a channel independent of the message.
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- An unexpected text or email claims to be from your bank and urges you to act on an account or transaction issue.
- The message asks you to click a link, open a file, pay, or provide account, payment, or personal information.
- A follow-up caller pressures you to act on the alert, share a code, or move money to keep it safe.
- The caller ID or displayed sender name looks familiar. Those details can be spoofed and do not verify who contacted you.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) warns of scams in which a fake bank fraud text is followed by a call that appears to come from the bank’s real support number. A professional tone or familiar caller ID does not make the caller genuine. Banks may send legitimate alerts, so verify the specific claim independently rather than assuming every alert is real or every alert is fraudulent. See the IC3 warning about bank-alert scams.
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- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
Verify the alert safely
- Stop interacting with the message. Don’t click links, download attachments, reply, or call the number it provides.
- Open a trusted route to your bank. Use the phone number on a bank statement, or open the bank’s app or website using a route you already know is genuine—not a link in the alert.
- Ask the bank to check the claim. Use its verified contact channel to ask whether the transaction or account issue is real. Do not share a password or one-time verification code with someone who contacted you.
- Do not move money at a caller’s direction. A request to transfer funds to “protect” them is not a safe verification step; contact the bank yourself through its verified fraud channel.
Report a suspicious message in the United States
The following are U.S. reporting routes. They are not universal instructions for people in other countries; outside the United States, use your bank’s verified fraud channel and your country’s official consumer-protection or cybercrime reporting service.
- Phishing email: Forward it to reportphishing@apwg.org.
- Suspicious text: Forward it to 7726 (SPAM).
- Report the attempt to the FTC: Submit a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
After you have checked and reported the message, delete it. FTC consumer guidance covers these steps in its phishing advice.
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- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
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If you clicked, shared information, or lost money
A suspicious message alone does not confirm that your account has been compromised. If you did provide information, contact the bank promptly through its verified fraud channel and explain what you shared. For identity-theft recovery guidance, use IdentityTheft.gov.
If an account takeover or wire transfer occurred, contact the financial institution that sent the funds as soon as possible and file a complaint with IC3. Keep relevant message and transaction details to help explain what happened. IC3 describes these steps in its account-takeover guidance.
Rank #3
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
Sources and scope
This guidance draws on U.S. consumer advice from the FTC and FBI IC3. The cited official material addresses phishing behaviors and protective actions; it does not establish a reliable way to identify AI authorship in an individual message. The safest response is the same regardless of how the message was written: do not act through it, and verify the bank’s claim independently.
Quick Recap
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- Check FIDO2 compatibility before purchase - Known limitations: ID Austria is not supported (requires FIDO2 Level 2). Windows Hello login only works with Windows Enterprise editions that support Entra ID, and NFC is NOT supported.
Rank #4
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- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key NFC via USB-A and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
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