72166 Chase fraud alert texts: is it real or a scam?
Quick answer
Chase says its fraud alert texts come from 5 or 6 digit short codes, and 72166 is one it lists. Fake Chase texts copy that look. Chase won't ask for your login or tell you to move money. Don't tap links: call the number on the back of your card.
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How it works
Chase sends real fraud alerts by text when it sees unusual activity on your card or account. Chase says these come from short codes of 5 or 6 digits, and lists 72166 among them.
Scammers copy that format. A fake alert says there's a suspicious charge or a locked account and asks you to confirm it. The goal is to get you to do one of three things:
- Tap a link to a fake Chase login page that steals your username, password and one-time code.
- Call a number in the text, where someone posing as Chase's fraud team asks for card details or a verification code.
- Move your money to a "safe account". Chase says a bank will never ask you to send money to yourself or anyone else to fix fraud.
Chase also warns that caller ID and texts can be faked, so the sender name alone proves nothing.
Red flags
- A text that asks for your username, password, PIN or full card number
- A request to move money to a "safe" account to protect it
- A link to a login page: official Chase links begin with https://www.chase.com/
- A phone number in the text that isn't the one on your card or statement
- Urgency and threats, such as an account closing in a few hours
- A caller who follows up a text and asks you to read back a verification code
Example message
Chase fraud alert: we noticed a suspicious charge of $[amount] on your card. If this wasn't you, secure your account now at [link] or call [phone number] immediately.
What to do
- 1
Don't tap or call anything in the text
Chase says to leave suspicious texts unanswered. Check your account by opening the Chase site or app yourself.
- 2
Call the number on the back of your card
Ask whether there's a real alert. Use the number printed on your card or statement, never one from the text.
- 3
If you entered your login or gave a code, act now
Call Chase, change your password and turn on two-step verification. Ask for the card to be replaced and check your recent transactions.
- 4
If you moved money, call Chase immediately
Tell them it was fraud and ask them to try to recall the transfer. Speed matters.
- 5
Report the text
Forward it to Chase's phishing address (phishing@chase.com, per Chase) and to the FTC, then delete it.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers send these texts in bulk to numbers they've bought or collected, then match names and cities from people-search sites and breaches to sound credible. Serus finds where your address, phone number and email are listed on data brokers and people-search sites and removes them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
More Chase scams
Frequently asked
Is 72166 really Chase?
Chase lists 72166 as one of the short codes it uses for fraud alerts. A text from a short code can still be worth checking: log in to Chase yourself or call the number on your card.
Will Chase ask for my password by text?
No. Chase says it won't ask for your username, password, PIN or account details by text or email.
A text said to move my money to protect it. Is that Chase?
No. Chase says it will never ask you to send money to yourself or anyone else to resolve fraud.
Where do I report a fake Chase text?
Forward it to the address Chase publishes for phishing reports and file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
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