Beware of Siri-Connected Scams: Protecting Your Finances

Requesting assistance from Siri, such as placing a phone call to a credit card company, often seems routine. However, one 82-year-old woman from Concord, Massachusetts, discovered how such actions could lead to scams. Virginia asked Siri to call American Express but reached a fake number, leading to a near financial disaster. She realized the danger when a supposed call about a $1,000 credit transformed into one for $100,000 before sending any money.

Understanding the Scam

This incident exemplifies how voice assistant searches can produce deceptive results. Scammers use fake customer service numbers that appear in voice and web searches. The Better Business Bureau has highlighted similar cases involving Siri and other voice assistants.

Virginia’s experience combined two scam tactics: a fake customer service number followed by an overpayment scheme. Siri initiated the connection by sourcing information from its extensive database. Apple did not provide a comment on this specific incident, indicating a gap in understanding how these numbers link to requests.

Protecting Yourself

To avoid scams like Virginia’s, follow these steps:

• Always use the phone number on your card or official banking app.
• Hang up if the call diverts to unrelated topics, especially money transfers.
• Never move money to ‘protect’ an account on a stranger’s advice.
• Verify overpayments with your banking institution before reacting.
• Keep security codes private and avoid installing software at a stranger’s suggestion.
• Use strong antivirus software to guard against potential phishing or scam threats.
• Set alerts for account activity for rapid response to unauthorized changes.
• Employ unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
• Independently verify account changes by accessing your bank directly.
• Report errors in voice assistant business listings to Apple to prevent future scams.

If You Gave a Scammer Access

If you suspect that a scammer has your financial information:

• Immediately end contact with the scammer.
• Call your financial institution using a verified number to report the incident.
• Lock or freeze affected accounts and update passwords.
• Remove any unauthorized remote-access software.
• Review account activity for unauthorized changes.
• Consider freezing your credit if sensitive information is compromised.
• Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission and any involved institutions.
• Be alert for follow-up scams posing as recovery services.

Virginia’s story underscores the importance of verifying numbers before making banking calls. Scammers prey on trusted technology and familiar brands, affecting anyone. Consider financial phone numbers as secure as passwords, verifying them for peace of mind.