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Siri Call Scammer Nearly Wiped Out Savings
12 Sep
Summary
- An 82-year-old woman nearly lost her retirement savings.
- Siri connected her to a fake customer-service number.
- A supposed $1,000 credit mistakenly became $100,000.
A seemingly simple request to Siri to call American Express nearly resulted in an 82-year-old woman losing her retirement savings. The voice assistant connected her to a fraudulent customer-service number, initiating a sophisticated scam. The situation escalated when the conversation shifted to her Bank of America account, with a scammer posing as a security expert.
Initially expecting a $1,000 credit, the woman was alarmed when the supposed credit ballooned to $100,000. The scammer claimed the mistake couldn't be corrected and instructed her to return the excess amount. Fortunately, this improbable sum triggered her suspicion, leading her to hang up and immediately freeze her Bank of America account, thus preventing a devastating financial loss.
This incident highlights a growing threat where voice assistants can inadvertently connect users to fake numbers, often sourced from misleading online search results. Experts advise using only verified contact information directly from physical cards or official banking apps for financial institutions to prevent similar scams. Vigilance and independent verification remain critical defenses against such fraud.
