How Impersonation Scams Work

I Thought I Was Saving My Daughter, But I Was Being Scammed

At 2 AM on a Tuesday, my world turned upside down.

My phone buzzed, jolting me awake. Heart racing, I fumbled for my glasses and read the text:

Mom, I'm in big trouble. Got arrested for DUI. Need $2,000 for bail ASAP. Please send it to me with Zelle^®. I'm so sorry.

The message came from my daughter Megan's number. My mind raced. Megan, my responsible 22-year-old, arrested? It didn't make sense, but the panic in my chest overrode my doubts.

With shaking hands, I opened my bank app to access Zelle^®. I'd only used it a few times before, but Megan had shown me how. "It's so easy, Mom," she'd said. "Great for emergencies."

As I prepared to send the money, a small voice in my head whispered, "Something's not right." But the thought of Megan sitting in a jail cell silenced my doubts. I hit "Send."

Unable to sleep, I paced the kitchen, waiting for news. At 7 AM, my phone rang. It was Megan.

"Morning, Mom! Just checking in before my shift at the hospital."

My blood ran cold. "Megan? You're... at work?"

"Yeah, why? Mom, are you okay? You sound weird."

As realization dawned, I sank into a chair. I'd been scammed.

"Oh, honey," my voice cracked. "Someone pretended to be you last night. They said you were arrested. I... I sent them money."

Megan gasped. "Oh, Mom. I'm so sorry. But I'm fine, I promise. We need to call the credit union right away."

How Impersonation Scams Work

Scammers are master manipulators, using urgency and emotion to cloud your judgment. They might pose as a family member in an emergency or a friend in dire straits, pleading with you for financial help. They bypass your usual skepticism and exploit your willingness to help people you care about.

Scammers often reach out through various channels – phone calls, texts, emails, or social media – hoping to catch you off guard. Some will use sophisticated technology to make their ruse appear more believable.

How to Spot an Impersonation Scam

Here are two common red flags that might signal a scam.

• Pressure to send money immediately. Be wary of unexpected requests for money, especially those with a sense of urgency. Scammers often pressure you to act quickly, hoping you won't take the time to verify their identity or story.
• Vague responses. Scammers often provide vague answers to avoid suspicion. They will focus on sending money immediately and might even say, “I can’t get into the details right now. Can you just help me, please?”

Did you know?

• Spoofing technology can make phone calls, text messages, and emails appear to come from someone you know.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) voice cloning technology only needs an audio snippet of the actual person’s voice to create a synthetic copy that can be used to engage in real-time conversations.

How to Protect Yourself from an Impersonation Scam

A growing number of scammers use spoofing technology and AI voice cloning technology to convince targets that the person contacting them is someone they know. This makes it even more important to:

• Stay calm. This is the first step to protecting yourself from impersonation scams. Take a breath and resist the pressure to act immediately.
• Ask specific questions. Query the caller about details only the real person would know.
• Create a “safe phrase”. Take the time to agree on a word or phrase that family and close friends can use to quickly verify their identity should they truly need financial help.
• End the communication. Contact the person at a known number or speak with another family member about the situation.

Being prepared for the possibility of an impersonation scam is the best way to keep your finances safe.

What If You Suspect an Impersonation Scam?

Contact your financial institution immediately to report the suspicious activity. They will provide you with steps you should take based on your specific situation. You can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission. They partner with other agencies to combat these scams.

Visit Fraud and ID Theft Prevention to explore other ways to protect your Logix accounts.

Zelle^® and the Zelle^® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC., and are used herein under license.