Imposters taking aim at people's bank accounts with caller ID-spoofing tech, experts warn

A recent bank scheme was foiled by a quick-thinking Long Island woman.

The would-be crook used caller ID-spoofing technology, which experts say is getting more and more convincing.

"It was the actual number on the back on my husband's card," a wife said. "The guy goes, 'Turn the card over and you will see I'm calling from TD Bank.'"

The call to a North Amityville father looked real. The caller said the man's debit card had been hacked and he needed a new one.  

"I said, 'What happened?' He said, 'They're coming to pick up my card.' I said, 'Excuse me? They're coming to pick up your card?' He said, 'Yes,'" his wife said.

Then she grabbed the phone.

"He said, 'We need to card to run diagnostics.' I said, 'No!'" she said. "I said, 'No, you're a scammer. You're a scammer. You're trying to get his information. You're going to wipe out the account.' He said, 'No, no, no, the guy's going to roll up any moment.' I said, 'Pull up here?'"

A man then actually pulled up outside their house, while she continued to unravel the scheme on the phone.

"I said, 'You're from TD Bank? Meet me at TD Bank,'" she said.

Outwitted, he hung up.

"The number that could be associated with the bank may show up as verified on the caller ID of the phone," cyber security consultant Jeremy Alicandri said. "For all intents and purposes, the victim believes that they are receiving a call from the bank."

Alicandri says bad actors easily spoof bank phone numbers with tools that are sold legally for legitimate businesses. He also received a spoofed bank call.

"I asked the caller to verify he was from Chase and that's where the call fell apart. 'If you're from Chase, can you verify the last check that cleared on my account?' And then he hung up," Alicandri said.

The Federal Communication Commission recently warned the public about imposter schemes wiping out bank accounts. It says if you get a call that appears to be from your bank, hang up, and call your bank directly.

"It's horrible. You work so hard, you know? You want to do the right thing and you have people out there who will actually do this to you," the man's wife said.

She gave police a description of a man and his grey, dented car and offered a warning.

"Think like a crook. Anyone calling you is going to scam you. Be careful," she said.