Use caution if someone asks you to donate money in person, using your phone. Someone may approach you claiming to be a representative from a charity and tell you to donate via your banking app. They’ll ask you to log in and then ask you to hand over your phone so they can help complete the transaction. Once you do, they can quickly transfer money or access other account information.

Help protect your accounts: Do your research and look up the organization first, ask questions and don’t hand over your device to anyone to help complete a transaction. Most banking and payment apps support fingerprint or facial recognition—turn these on for added security.

Cyber criminals are actively using social media to entice you. They intentionally curate posts that lure you into sharing personal information or scam you out of money.


Help protect your accounts: Be mindful about what information you share and see on social media. If something seems too good to be true, it’s most likely a scam.

Be wary if an "investment manager" contacts you, or if you receive an unsolicited request for a "great investment opportunity." Offers that promise guaranteed returns, the chance to get rich quick or double your money are likely a scam.


Help protect your accounts: Validate any requests for money and research investment managers and offers. Use caution if anyone asks you to provide personal or financial information, especially if they ask you to send money through digital currency/crypto currency or instant money transfers

Scammers may create a fake website or use social media to buy and sell goods and services. In most cases, these fake listings that sound too good to be true, typically are. Scammers set up “stores” selling fake goods, and after you make a purchase, the store suddenly disappears, or the scammer doesn’t deliver the product.

Help protect your accounts: Be cautious about new profiles or profiles with few friends. Research the seller and products independently and check reviews for possible scam notices. Make sure the business has a refund policy, information on privacy terms and conditions, and ways to contact them.

Scammers are becoming more sophisticated by using AI to now impersonate people you know. They may pose as your bank, utility company, phone provider, friend, relative or even government agencies. They may spoof government websites and legitimate phone numbers to tell you to send funds to yourself or others using online banking. They may even tell you to ignore or bypass scam warnings and alerts. Through these spoofed contact methods and fake websites, they trick you into providing personal information, so they access your accounts.


Help protect your accounts: Don’t open unfamiliar links. Instead, manually type out a web address. While Bank of America may send you a text to validate unusual activity, we’ll never contact you to request that you send us or anyone else money. Even if you feel a request is legitimate or is from someone you know, pause and verify first. 

Scammers create job listings to try to lure you to apply for the job and provide personal and financial information. They’ll use urgent language and push you to respond, create vague job descriptions that offer high pay for minimal effort and use unofficial email addresses with free domains or sketchy URLs.   

Help protect your accounts: Legitimate recruiters won’t pressure you; they’ll give you time to research the company. They won’t ask you for money up front for training, materials, software or a background check.

Using dating apps and social media, romance scammers try to build a trusting, caring and believable relationship as quickly as possible. Then, they make an emotional plea, telling a story that ends with a request to give them money. Requests sometimes start out small and increase over time, with little or no return on promises to give back the funds.

Help protect your accounts: Be careful when posting personally identifiable information on social media. Enable security settings on your social media profiles to limit what you share publicly. Be vigilant about requests for money from someone you recently met, especially if they ask you to send a payment in an unusual way. 

Scammers may use AI to impersonate a loved one or someone you know, claiming they’re in danger and need money immediately.

Help protect your accounts: Consider using a "safe" word that only you and your family members know. Stay vigilant about requests to send money through untraceable means

If you receive a virus pop-up message or an unsolicited request from someone to remotely access your computer or mobile device, it's probably a scam. Scammers often pose as employees of familiar companies and get you to grant them remote access to your device by claiming it has a virus. These fake warnings are designed to scare you into exposing personal and financial information.

Help protect your accounts: No matter what reason they give, never grant access to your device or download any app without confirming the requestor’s identity. Call a verified phone number (not one they provide to you).

Scammers may impersonate well-known sweepstakes organizations and tell you you’ve won a prize even though you don’t remember entering the sweepstakes. They’ll tell you the winnings are yours, but there’s an initial cost you must pay before you can collect.  Once you send money, the scammer will either disappear or they’ll continue to call you for months asking for more money after defrauding you out of an initial sum.

Help protect your accounts: Don’t be pressured to respond. If you did not enter a sweepstake, do not engage or give out personal information. Sweepstakes are free to enter so you should not be asked for any type of payment.

While you’re waiting at the airport or a hotel, cybercriminals may attempt to target you through public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Or other types of travel scammers may impersonate transportation officials by claiming they can expedite enrollment or renew your application for travel benefits for an additional fee.  

Help protect your accounts: Use a Wi-Fi network you trust such as your cellular network. When using a public charging station, plug into a power charger outlet, not just the USB port. Scammers can use unsecured USB connections to install malware on your device. Also, look for pressure tactics that urge you to click links and provide payment or personal information. Only use official websites.

Imagine showing up to your new home or dream vacation rental to find out it doesn't exist, or that it’s been double booked. Scammers may take over listings and change contact information to get you to pay for a property that they don’t own. Once you send the funds, the scammer stops responding .

Help protect your accounts: Do your research and ask yourself: Is the listing vague? Do the photos have watermarks Does the rent seem too low? It may be a red flag if someone pressures you to send a security deposit or make a payment without signing a contract or doing a background check.

Scammers prey on excited fans by selling fake tickets, stealing credit card info or overcharging for general admission seats.

Help protect your accounts: Always use verified sites and official resale platforms. Be aware of high-pressure sales tactics and offers that sound too good to be true.

Scammers are now combining multiple scam types by taking a phased approach to gain your trust and make scams even more convincing.


Help protect your accounts: Don't download software or provide remote access to your device to anyone you don't know. Bank of America will never call you to request that you move money to protect yourself from fraud.

These scammers send you an email or text claiming there's an issue with your package or a failed delivery attempt. They’ll ask you to click a link to pay a small fee or provide personal information.

Help protect your accounts: Don’t open unfamiliar links for payment or personal information. This may be a phishing attempt.

Be aware of imposters following a natural disaster. No matter where they say they're from or who they're representing, a charity, a contractor or claiming to be someone you know and trust, scammers have the same goal: to get you to give them money or your personal or financial information.

Help protect your accounts: Use caution if you're pressured to pay or provide personal or financial information. Do your research. Look up organizations and ask for proof of ID. Be wary if someone asks you to pay in less common ways such as gift cards or wire transfers. Make sure contractors are licensed and get multiple quotes for comparison.