Published: July 02, 2008 10:35 pm      

Phone scam targets bank

Those with accounts at Franklin Bank, beware. There’s a phone scam going on, targeted at obtaining your bank information.

Phone calls from Kerens residents, where the bank branch is located, tell of phone calls from people trying to pass themselves off as a bank representative. And their asking for account numbers and other information.

Blaine Bryant, executive vice president and director of technology and operations for Franklin Bank, said the bank does not work that way.

“We published on our Web site that we would never solicit account information through the Web or by phone,” Bryant said Wednesday. “We’re working continually at trying to educate our customers to not give out such information.”

He said he doesn’t know yet if anyone made the mistake of giving out the private information or if they had lost any money.

Identity theft is a rapidly increasing crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site. They have a recommendation for combating its spread.

Appropriately, it’s called “SCAM” — which stands for Stingy, Check, Ask, Maintain.

The Department of Justice says to be “Stingy” with your personal financial information and always keep it protected and private; to “Check” your financial records and status on a regular basis, such as your bank account records and credit card records; “Ask” for a credit report to see if there are any unwarranted charges or bad debts against your name that aren’t yours; and “Maintain” careful records from all your banking and financial institutions.

Bryant said he encourages Franklin Bank customers to give account information only when they are at a Franklin branch location where they can be sure they’re talking to an actual bank employee.

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Loyd Cook may be reached via e-mail at lcook@corsicanadailysun.com