SHERMAN, TX--At first glance it appears to be a legitimate email sent by Chase Bank. Recipients are asked to click on a link and enter their personal information or their online account will be suspended. Police say don't do it. Following the online directions could dig you into a deal you didn't bargain for.
It's an email that could show up in your inbox.
"They're hoping to catch some of the Chase Bank customers in the net," Sherman Police Sgt. Bruce Dawsey said.
A sender pretending to be a representative from JP Chase Morgan is asking for customer account information. Sherman police say don't respond. It's a scam.
"By giving someone that, they can create a new identity or contact the bank or all of the appropriate information to withdrawal funds from your account," Sgt. Dawsey said.
Police were first informed of the fraudulent electronic message Wednesday morning.
The message reads "Dear customer, we are currently updating our banking services." Then, it asks them to click on a link in order to submit their name, date of birth and account number or else their online account will be suspended.
"The bank already has all of that so they don't need that for verification," Sgt. Dawsey said. "They're not going to randomly call you and ask you for your account number or routing number or date of birth or anything else."
Following the link could allow someone else to dip into your checking account...or worse...assume your identity.
"They can call the bank themselves, pretend to be you, and then access your funds, change your address, do whatever they need to do over the phone," Sgt. Dawsey said.
Officers say tracing who is on the other end of the screen is difficult.
"Typically until someone pulls the money out, if it is in the United States, we might be able to come up with an address or an IP address.
For this message, police don't want you to reply.
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