FAKE Bank Of America Email/Text Message Scam – Explained

If you receive a Bank of America email or text message that looks suspicious, it could be a phishing scam. These scams target Bank of America customers and aim to trick you into giving away your personal and financial information, such as your account details, social security number, and credit card information.

The messages may have the Bank of America logo and branding, making them seem legitimate. Scammers use urgent-sounding subject lines and warnings of account suspensions or fraudulent activity to create a sense of urgency. You may be asked to click on a link or call a phone number to address an issue with your account.

If you follow the instructions in the message, you may be directed to a fake website that looks like Bank of America’s official site. On this site, you may be asked to enter your personal and financial information, which is then captured by scammers.

What is the fake Bank of America email or SMS message?

Bank of America (BoA) is a leading American multinational financial institution that provides banking and financial services to customers worldwide. Unfortunately, scammers and cybercriminals are targeting BoA customers with phishing scams, which aim to steal their personal and financial information. These scammers use various means to contact BoA customers, such as email, SMS text messages, and phone calls, and use tactics such as urgency and fear to trick their potential victims into disclosing their account credentials.

One of the most common tactics used by these scammers is to send SMS text messages or emails that appear as if they were sent by the Bank of America. These messages usually ask the customer to call a particular phone number, visit a website, or respond to them with their personal or financial information. These messages may contain urgent language, such as “Time-Sensitive Message” or “Warning,” to prompt the customer to act quickly.

If a customer falls for this scam and provides their Bank of America account information, the scammers can use it to steal their money and commit fraud. They may also use the information to open new accounts in the victim’s name, apply for loans or credit cards, or sell the information on the dark web.

Here is what a typical Bank of America scam message looks like:

{BOFA SERVICE}: We noticed a suspicious attempt… on your account. if Not you, please call 1-877-223-8248, Verification code #..

Bank of America: On 12/28/2022 you added a new ACH recipient. Reply YES to confirm.

Visit: https://bankofamerica-mobile03.com/ to remove or stop this addition.

Dear Bank of America Customer, your onetime password for sending $1250 to Jennifer Hall is XXXXXX. Do not share this code with anyone. If you did not request this code press one on your phone now and to speak with customer support officer.

{BOFA SERVICE}: We noticed a suspicious attempt… on your account. if Not you, please call 1-877-223-8248, Verification code #…

From: Bank of America [mailto:vlsdqg@upgrade.com] Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 6:40 AM To: customerservice@bankofamerica.com Subject: Time-Sensitive Message from Bank of America”
“Dear customer, please visit BankOfAmericaHelp.net (Ref #81923)”
“Please visit CardsBankOfAmerica.com (Customer #55863)”
“Your BOA-acct is temporarily disabled by our Security Dept. Learn more: http:/ow. ly/Dnul308wk6?ID756666.”
“Warning / Please visit: apps-bankofamerica .com”
“Notification / You have an account notification: protect-bankofamerica .com”
“customers@boa-card.net / Customer alert / Please confirm www.boa-card .net”
“(Alert: Suspicious Activity) Case 160027. Please visit http://account.id1999310bankofamerica .com.
“Online / Security message: bankofamericauser.com”
“Account Notice) Case 1012181. Please visit http://client.bankofamerica-id14713 .com”
“(Attention: Suspicious Activity) Account notice: id412753-bankofamerica.com”
“Valued member, we detected unusual activity on your account. To securely update your information, follow the link: http://bankofamerica.text-id338. com”
“FRM:*Important-bankofamerica^MSG* MSG:Account Access Blocked. Please read this ASAP: xloginbofaadmin .com”
“(BofA)-Important Message – Due to recent updates in our system you need to verify your information. Click the link below: http://bankofamerica.sms- auth4427.com”
“BOfA: Your Bank Card is restricted due to failed payments. Follow www.USA-BankOfAmerica.com and remove Account limitation in 3 Easy Steps.”
“(Visit# wwv.bnkofameirca.com-jtjgw.confirm19id.net/ Now) [fgeck]We are sorry but your_Bank0fAmeirca-issues#”
“wvw2.boaonline.com-hnxst. review184id.net/Now)[188] We are sorry but your: BnkofAmerica-is-locked”
“(BoA) Debit Card locked. visit www.xxxxxxxxxx. BankOfAmerica-BoA.com”
“(855)996-0808 (BoA) Debit Card Locked. visit www.(my cell number). BankOfAmerica-BoA.com”
“(go-to: wvw.bnkofamerica.com-sect jays.confirm540.net/?nr=. We are sorry but your bnk0famerica-debit visa is locked”
“(Dear , this important Message is from BankofAmerica. Debit-Visa issues)Contact us now at 5182123866 and remove the limit. “
“18559333547: (BoA) Debit Card Locked. visit www.312xxxxx20. BankOfAmerica-BoA.com”
“(bank of america message: important – please call at 630-701-6543 to review your account. Client id: 55g5lpfxf3dd5an)”
“([B a n k O f A m e r I c a] UrgentMessage.Please Ring: (818) 688-4222)”
“Bank Of America – ACCOUNT LOCKED Member: 7735471815. Urgent CALL : (855) 277-7117
“([B A N K OF A M E R I C A] UrgentNotification Contact: 914 266 8559)”
“(Office My B.O.F.A Attention needed Contact: 9142668559)”
“(MYB.O.F.A Urgent Notification Contact: 914 266 8559)”
“(My Master Urgent Notification Contact: 914 266 8559)” came from 5078457487@sw.rr.com “
“([bank of america]}Your Attention Is Needed.Call 323 937 7432”
“71222127@ndiweb.com ([BOfA]UrgentNotification.Contact: 831-298-1164)”
“Direct debit issue.to solve please call now.”
“Fwd: (Please Contact Bank Of America HelpDesk @ 1(978) 290 5085)”

The Bank of America email or text message is a scam that aims to infect your device with malware to steal your personal and financial information.

If you receive the Bank of America email or text message, do not call the customer support number. Instead, report the scam to the relevant authorities and delete the email or text message. If you believe that your personal information or payment details have been compromised, you should also contact your bank or credit card provider as soon as possible.

If you receive the Bank of America email or any other suspicious email it is important to take the following steps:

1. Do not open any attachments or click on any links in the email. The attachment or link is likely to contain malware.

2. Do not provide any personal information. Scammers may ask for personal information, such as your address or credit card information, in order to steal your identity.

3. Verify the authenticity of the email and the sender. 

4. Report the email as spam. This will help to prevent other people from falling victim to the scam.

5. If you have already opened the attachment, run a full scan on your device with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

6. If you have already provided personal information, contact your bank and credit card companies, and monitor your account for any suspicious activity.

It’s important to be cautious when receiving emails or text messages from unknown or suspicious sources and to take steps to protect yourself from potential scams.

Is the Bank of America email or text message real?

It is crucial to recognize these phishing scams and avoid falling for them. Bank of America will never ask you to provide your personal or financial information via SMS text message or email. If you receive a message that appears to be from Bank of America asking for this information, do not respond to it or click any links provided in the message. Instead, contact Bank of America directly using the number on your card or statement to verify the legitimacy of the message.

The fake Bank of America email or text message is a scam that tries to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. To make the email more credible, these scammers use fake invoice numbers, renewal dates, official logos, and promotional banners.

Here are signs that this email is a scam, even though it looks like it comes from a company you know — and even uses the company’s logo in the header:

• A generic greeting is used in place of a name (eg. “customer,” “account holder,” or “dear”).
• The sender’s email address is not associated with a legitimate domain name
• The email invites you to click on a link to resolve an issue. Most reputable organizations will not ask users to disclose sensitive information (e.g. credit card numbers) by clicking on a link.
• There is a time limit or uncharacteristic sense of urgency
• Poor grammar, spelling, and sentence structure may hint that an email is not from a reputable source.

While real companies might communicate with you by email, legitimate companies won’t email or text message you with a link to login or update your account. Phishing emails can often have real consequences for people who give scammers their information, including identity theft.

What should I do now?

We recommend that you ignore the content of the Bank of America email or text message and delete it from your Inbox. 

If you have already fallen for this scam and provided your Bank of America account information to a phishing website or via email, you should contact Bank of America immediately to report the incident. Bank of America has a dedicated team that can help customers who have been victims of scams or fraud, and they will work with you to secure your account and prevent any further unauthorized activity.

If you have downloaded any attachments or clicked on any links from this email, or if you suspect that your computer might be infected with malware, you can follow the below steps to scan your device for malware with Malwarebytes and remove it for free.

Check if you’re device is infected with malware

The Bank of America phishing emails may contain malware within the attachments or links that appear in the body of the email. By interacting with the malware — for example, opening or downloading an attachment that contains a malicious payload — the user may unknowingly infect their device or network, enabling attackers to gain access to protected applications and data.

To check your computer or phone for Trojans, browser hijackers, or other malware and remove them for free, you run a scan with Malwarebytes Free.

Malwarebytes runs on Windows, Mac, and Android. Click the tab below for the device you want to scan, then follow the steps to remove any malware it finds.