Authorities are investigating a phishing scam in which residents receive automated calls claiming to be from Simsbury Bank that request credit and debit card information.
Simsbury and Granby police said they have received numerous complaints over the past two days and are actively investigating.
The automated message tells residents their credit or debit cards issued by Simsbury Bank have been suspended and instructs them to press “1” for more information. Victims are then prompted to enter their card numbers and expiration dates, after which a recording says their cards have been reactivated, according to police.
Simsbury Bank has said this is a scam and posted a warning on its Web site after the first reports came in Monday afternoon. The bank said in a release that hundreds of customers have been targeted so far.
"This is yet another reminder that no bank would ever request confidential information over the phone, via e-mail, or in text messages. These attempts are called phishing," said Simsbury Bank President and CEO Martin Geitz, in a statement. "If you receive a call from someone identifying themselves as a Simsbury Bank employee saying that your account is frozen, we recommend you hang up the phone and contact us immediately."
The Department of Banking also issued an alert Tuesday afternoon warning residents of the scam.
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Police said the calls seem to be made at random – the Granby Police Department actually received several of the fraudulent calls Tuesday.
Representatives for Simsbury Bank said similar scams have been reported in Western Massachusetts.
Residents who receive a call like this should hang up and refrain from entering any information. Those who have entered information should notify their banks and ask for a new card number, police advised.
Customers who have questions about the scam can call Simsbury Bank at 860-658-2265 or contact the Department of Banking Consumer Affairs Division at 1-800-831-7225 or www.ct.gov/dob.
