Ally Bank scam calls and emails: how to spot a fake fraud alert
Quick answer
Scammers pretend to be Ally Bank's fraud department. If a call, email or text claims to be Ally and asks for a security code or login, hang up and call Ally yourself on the number on its website or your card. Never read out a code that was just sent to you.
- Comes by
- Phone call, Email, Text
- Pretends to be
- Ally Bank
- Last updated
How it works
Scammers impersonate Ally Bank, often by claiming there's fraud on your account. Ally warns that fraudsters may call and ask for the 6-digit security code that was just sent to your phone. That code lets them log in as you.
Emails and texts push you to click links or open files. Ally says it has seen a rise in sophisticated scams meant to get people to click malicious links or download harmful files. Ally's advice for a suspicious email: call its fraud line, then delete it.
Red flags
- A caller asking for the 6-digit code just sent to your phone
- A message about fraud on your account with a link to sort it out
- An email attachment or link from an unexpected sender
- Pressure to move money to a 'safe account'
- A caller who won't let you hang up and call back
Example message
This is the fraud department at Ally. We've blocked a suspicious payment on your account. To confirm it's you, please read us the verification code we just texted to your phone.
What to do
- 1
Hang up and call Ally yourself
Use the number on Ally's website or the back of your card. Don't use a number in the message.
- 2
Never share a security code
Ally warns that scammers ask for the code sent to your phone. A real fraud team won't need it read out.
- 3
Don't open links or files
If a suspicious email looks like it's from Ally, call Ally's fraud line, then delete it. Type the Ally address into your browser rather than clicking.
- 4
If you shared details or a code, act now
Call Ally straight away, change your password and turn on two-step verification. Our guide on what to do after a data breach covers the steps.
- 5
Report it
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you lost money, tell your local police too.
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 don't pick numbers and addresses at random. Names, phone numbers, home addresses and email addresses are easy to buy from people-search sites and data brokers, and they leak in breaches, which lets a caller or sender sound like they know you. Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them from the sites that hold them, and alerts you when your data shows up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Common Ally Bank scams
Frequently asked
Will Ally ask me for a security code?
Ally warns that fraudsters call and ask for the 6-digit code just sent to your phone. Don't read it out to anyone who contacted you.
What do I do with a suspicious email from Ally?
Ally says to call its fraud line and then delete the email. Don't click links or open attachments.
How do I check if a call is really Ally?
Hang up and call Ally on its general number from its website or your card.
Does this mean Ally is a scam?
No. Ally is a real bank. Scammers pretend to be Ally to trick its customers.
Sources
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