Wilkes-Barre woman reports bank impersonation scam involving stolen personal data
Wilkes-Barre, PA – A phone call that appeared to come from a major financial institution has sparked an ongoing fraud investigation after a city resident reported losing account access through a sophisticated impersonation scam.
Wilkes-Barre City Police said a 63-year-old woman reported the incident Wednesday evening after arriving at police headquarters to document what she believed was bank fraud. The victim told officers she received a telephone call earlier that day from a woman claiming to represent Discover Bank.
According to police, the caller warned of alleged fraudulent activity on the victim’s account and possessed detailed personal and banking information, including the victim’s full name, bank details, Social Security number, phone number, and home address. Officers said the accuracy of the information made the call appear legitimate.
The caller referenced both legitimate transactions and others she claimed were fraudulent, then instructed the victim to provide banking verification codes that were sent to her cellphone. Believing she was speaking with a bank representative, the victim complied.
Police said the caller later claimed that an unknown individual had transferred approximately $1,000 through the victim’s Zelle account and stated she would stop the transaction. The call then ended abruptly.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Key Points
- A Wilkes-Barre woman reported a bank impersonation scam
- The caller had extensive personal and financial information
- The case remains under investigation by city police
