If you receive a text message from “Brattleboro Savings and Loan Association” saying “Alert for (your phone number). Call 347-218-4082.” YOU PROBABLY SHOULD NOT CALL BACK. I think it’s a scam. The phone # is listed as an NYC number, and the recording told me that my ATM card is frozen. I do not have an ATM card with BSnL. It asked me to type in my account number.
If you need to contact BSnL, it’s probably best to call the number they list in the phone book or online, not the number in this text.
Got the same text...
My wife received that text on her phone this morning.
I called the number from my cell phone (which is a different number). The recording did not ask me to type in an account number though. It said, your card has been frozen, press “1” if you want to unfreeze the card, press “2” if you want to leave it frozen.
I figured that if the bank has frozen our card, I would not want to unfreeze it until I first knew why. But it did not make sense to me to press “2,” because if the card really has been frozen, then doing nothing should be sufficient. And the whole thing sounded phishy to me anyway: If there had been suspicious activity, why would the bank allow the card to be unfrozen so easily (simply by pressing “1”) without even a conversation?
Moreover, since the text was sent to Donna’s phone, how was it that it did not matter to the robot answering my call, that I was calling from a number other than the number which had been sent the text? My guess is that if I had pressed either “1” or “2,” I would have been connected with a live scammer, whose script would be designed to scare me that my account had been hacked, with kind assurance that s/he (the scammer) would take care of everything for me and just needed me to confirm that I am who I say I am, by reciting my account information.
The combination of shocking you that your money is in jeopardy, combined with “helpful” assurance, is effective in knocking an otherwise careful person off center, making them vulnerable.
Scam
If you had selected to reactivate your card then it would ask you to enter your 16 digit debit card number.
I called and tried to respond until I got to that point.
Thank you from BS&L
Hello all! We really appreciate this posts and the comments; actions like these help keep our community safer from scams like this. Be assured BS&L was not hacked or breached. Rather fraudsters purchased a list of local cell phone numbers, using BS&L as the bait. These types of attacks have been happening nationwide, and may pose as the IRS, the local electric company or other trusted institutions. They try to create a sense of urgency designed to overwhelm your normal, healthy skepticism. Banks such as BS&L make perfect bait because the idea that there’s a problem with your account or debit card definitely gets your immediate attention!
Remember we will NEVER ask you for your private info via text or email. We already know your account and debit card number! But whether you’re a customer or not, remember to check your account activity frequently – it’s a dangerous world out there. But know that we work really really hard to keep you and your money safe!