topic Re: BOA phishing scam or legit? in General Credit Topics

BOA phishing scam or legit?

Fico2Go — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 17:50:48 GMT

Just received a letter from BOA addressed to me from their COMPLIANCE PROCESSING AND MONITORING in Pheonix, AZ.

The letter asked me to visit a local branch to provide my drivers license or my account will be closed if not provided by a deadline. Even more strange the letter says not to snail mail, fax, or email documents to them. BUT YET IT INCLUDES AN ENVELOP TO MAIL TO THEM:

COMPLIANCE PROCESSING AND MONITORING

PB BOX 29961

PHOENIX, AZ 85038-0961

And even more strange is that there is no local BOA branch near me. So If I can't visit them, can't mail to them, can't email them, and can't fax to them,...what am I to do?

So I did the only possible thing which is to call Customer Service. ( Strange again, the letter says if I have question to call the number on the back of my credit card. ??? ).

But when I call CS they said they have no knowledge of this letter and I should discard it right away. They will not my account etc..etc..

It seems strange how they could request a copy of my drivers license and yet they already have my street address to have sent the mailing.

Anyone else has received this kind of letter? Did I reach someone at BOA that provided me with the wrong information or this is a scam?

And why would the letter ask for just a copy of my drivers license?

ODD.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

coldnmn — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:04:52 GMT

If you called customer service from the back of your credit card and they have no knowledge of it. Do what BoA told you to do. Destroy it. Your address is pretty much easy information to get. If one out of a hundred don't check with the bank and mail the information in and it is a scam well you get the picture.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Fico2Go — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:12:31 GMT

It seems to be a hoax since the letter basically says not to send anything to anyone. And since I don't live near a boa branch there is no branch to visit.

You would think that if it's a scam it would ask for more than a drivers license which they obviously already have my address.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Involver — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:23:50 GMT

It is a scam.

Your drivers license number is generated by an algorithm using your SSN. We designed programs to do this in high school before identity theft was a huge deal. So, whoever wants that information can likely figure out your SSN. Then with your address / DOB / DL # / SSN it's smooth sailing.

Stay away.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:25:35 GMT

How is it a scam when they don't even ask for any information and they state to go to the branch? Weirdest scam I've heard of.

Reading online, this address has been used for previous scams so it probably is....just really weird to ask you not to send anything to them.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Involver — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:25:10 GMT

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

lg8302ch — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:30:40 GMT

Would also vote for a SCAM

old thread

http://www.city-data.com/forum/charlotte/1133558-phishing-scam-bofa-just-really-stupid.html

They send it probably to customer that are nowhere near a branch and by mentioning not to send in anything expect to build trust and therefore add this envelope

Edit: Involver...you got me.. was typing too slow

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Fico2Go — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:33:28 GMT

@Involver wrote:
See also:

this thread from 2010 on another website

http://www.city-data.com/forum/charlotte/1133558-phishing-scam-bofa-just-really-stupid.html#b

Yes I googled and came up with that one too. Further searching I found that BOA is also located in AZ. But I'm not too sure about the PO Box address.

This is indeed the weirdest scam ever. If you read the letter carefully it tells you not to mail, fax, or email anything. But yet it includes an envelop to send docs.

Perhaps it's targeted to people who can't read?

It would be even more strange if the mailing address on the envelop belongs to an actual BOA address.

But if the mailing address were not real then this could be a scam targetted to people that can't read and is likely a baby step to something more dangerous.

First they try sonmething simple like requesting a Drivers license.

Next they might come back for a copy of a utility bill;

then SSN;

then your dogs name;

etc..etc..

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Involver — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:36:47 GMT

Also I would find it suspicious since BoA is headquartered in Charlotte, NC and their primary mailing address is in Tampa.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Fico2Go — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:39:36 GMT

I agree. But somewhere in the BOA system there is a leak or gap somewhere. How could they have found out about my account after a new account was just opened a few weeks ago?

I have Messaged BOA for a written response regarding this letter just in case the first CSR provided in correct information.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

lg8302ch — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:40:47 GMT

All of my BofA mailings originate from TX... I guess this depends on your location

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

BootStraps — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 19:37:13 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
How is it a scam when they don't even ask for any information and they state to go to the branch? Weirdest scam I've heard of.

Reading online, this address has been used for previous scams so it probably is....just really weird to ask you not to send anything to them.

It's actually rather brilliant.

If they are sending these letters to people who do not have a BofA nearby, most would opt to mail copies because it is convenient. Many people are hurried going through their mail and don't take the time to notice things. That would include the fact that the mailer is in there and in direct contradiction to the instructions.

It is weird, I agree. Very glad that it didn't catch you in its net.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Fico2Go — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 20:32:51 GMT

Okay so I messaged BOA and the response received advised me to call a toll free number.

I called the number and after explaining wha this letter is they couldn't find it in their system.

Then I'm told that since they have many departments doing many different things it could be department A so I got transfered to A.

A did the same to me and transferred to B.

Now B said she'll get back to me soon because she can't find any record of this letter anywhere.

I was asked the PO Box, date of letter and reference number provided on the letter and they seem can't pinpoint the source.

So Now we wait ...and wait..

It's frustrting now that a typical person would just say blue it and send the request drivers license by mail.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Fico2Go — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:05:51 GMT

SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!

The letter is legitimate folks.

BoA just called to confirm that they took care of the problem. I asked if the letter was legitimate and the nice lady confirms it was.

So there you have it... From our point of view it looked like a scam. We came up with every reason to prove it.

BoA should have provided more info to make responding easier. Instead their first CSR basically provided false information. She meant well but she didn't have any clue what was going on. The second person couldn't find any reference. He at least forwarded to a more responsive unit. It took the third person to care a little more and dig deeper to get to the truth.

OTOH, this might well be BoA's way of protecting privacy and keeping us all safe from identity theft.

What they should have done to make this a better experience is included a phone number for direct contact to the unit handling the matter.

STRANGE THING IS BOA DIDN'T ASK ME TO FAX OR SEND ANYTHING TO DO. THEY "SOMEHOW" RESOLVED THIS ISSUE ON THEIR OWN.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

WuXing5 — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 22:42:01 GMT

@Fico2Go wrote:
It seems to be a hoax since the letter basically says not to send anything to anyone. And since I don't live near a boa branch there is no branch to visit.

You would think that if it's a scam it would ask for more than a drivers license which they obviously already have my address.

this is a method known as enumeration, the attacker seeks to gather one piece of information at a time to get the next piece. i.e dl# can get some of your public records which can then be used to get other information about you.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

credit-hunter — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 23:16:35 GMT

Glad it worked out ..I was going to say fax the letter to their fraud dept and let them take a look at it.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Fico2Go — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 23:33:04 GMT

Their fraud and new acct units had no idea where this letter came from.

I was told they took care of it but Im not 100% sure if this wasnt afterall a scam that BoA didnt want to alert me due to privacy laws.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

bobebob — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 00:23:22 GMT

@Involver wrote:
It is a scam.

Your drivers license number is generated by an algorithm using your SSN. We designed programs to do this in high school before identity theft was a huge deal. So, whoever wants that information can likely figure out your SSN. Then with your address / DOB / DL # / SSN it's smooth sailing.

Stay away.

This is not true in my case. My (now EX) wife and I got our Drivers licenses at the same time when we moved to AZ in 1997 and they were consecutive numbers.

Perhaps this was true in the past?

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 05:22:32 GMT

@Fico2Go wrote:
Their fraud and new acct units had no idea where this letter came from.

I was told they took care of it but Im not 100% sure if this wasnt afterall a scam that BoA didnt want to alert me due to privacy laws.

If you feel that way I would take it to your AGs office and let them look into it.

Re: BOA phishing scam or legit?

n0smirc — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 21:42:57 GMT

@bobebob wrote:
@Involver wrote:
It is a scam.

Your drivers license number is generated by an algorithm using your SSN. We designed programs to do this in high school before identity theft was a huge deal. So, whoever wants that information can likely figure out your SSN. Then with your address / DOB / DL # / SSN it's smooth sailing.

Stay away.
This is not true in my case. My (now EX) wife and I got our Drivers licenses at the same time when we moved to AZ in 1997 and they were consecutive numbers.
Perhaps this was true in the past?

Ditto on this not being true, I have had states that directly use your SSN, others than gen a random number and others that just assign the next available number. I've had multiple ID #'s from just 1 state.