PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. — Authorities are warning residents after scammers pretending to be bank employees stole $95,000 from three people last week, according to the Prince George’s County Police Financial Crimes Unit.
The scam starts with a fake text alert that appears to come from a victim’s bank, warning about suspicious activity and asking them to call a number. When the victim calls, the scammer, armed with personal banking details like recent transactions, gains the victim’s trust.
Once trust is established, the scammer convinces the person to “secure” their funds—by withdrawing cash and either using a cryptocurrency ATM, a standard ATM, or buying gift cards. In all cases, the scammers steal the money once the transactions are completed.
Investigators are still trying to determine how the scammers are getting access to such detailed banking information and selecting their targets. So far, no suspects have been identified.
Police advise anyone who receives a suspicious bank-related message not to call the number in the text. Instead, contact your bank using the number on the back of your card or by visiting a local branch. If someone asks you to transfer funds for security reasons, hang up immediately.
Anyone who believes they’ve been targeted or has information on the scam is urged to contact the PGPD Financial Crimes Unit at 301-516-1464. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), visiting pgcrimesolvers.com, or using the P3 Tips app.
