“So I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t authorize the transfer of $ 3,500 through Zel,” Pollack recalls. “So I typed’ no. ‘”

Then his phone rang. The caller ID was Bank of America. She replied that the only way to stop the scam was to make another deal with Zel. As she boarded the plane, she became even more suspicious and opened the B of A app on her cell phone.

Related: School Nurses Fall Victims of Scams Targeting Bank of America and Zell Customers

“Sure enough, I checked my account and found out that I was $ 3,500 short, and on the spot, I could see your heart sink to $ 3,500,” Pollack said.

Looks like Concord’s Trista Boshan has also sunk. She was imprisoned in exactly the same way.

“We didn’t do anything because we were pretty sure there was no way to get this money back,” she told 7 On Your Side. “But I started to see people explaining exactly what you did and what we went through. I contacted you, specifying in particular that it was a Zelle agreement. “

Beauchamp says she was also taken in a bad time, and the scam is complicated.

“It’s very confusing, you do some sort of thing, ‘it doesn’t seem to be quite right,’ and at the same time … it’s – it’s just ‘smoke and mirrors’, they give me that I grabbed it, “she said.

ABC7’s 7 On Your Side team has received quite a few complaints. These scams don’t just happen here in the Bay Area.

WLS, Chicago’s ABC station, also found victims.

Nausheen Brooks was acquired for $ 3,500. “You just save the hard earned money and steal it. You just don’t know what to do and you’re lost,” Brooks said.

New victims, old scams: SMS, phones, fake phone numbers. Consumer Behavior Linda Sherry has seen it all.

“It’s a false sense of urgency. It’s always what you know, act now, act fast, hurry… you know the sky is falling, ”she said. paddy field. “Be careful not to get too excited at this point… Take a step back and think, is that really realistic?” Is this probably true? “

After 7 On Your Side was involved, Pollack got a call from Bank of America.

“I said, ‘Does that mean I’m getting my money back? She said “yes” and I started to cry! I am beyond gratitude and beyond gratitude. And thank you from the bottom of my heart, ”Polac told 7 On Your Side.

Beauchamp also got his money back.

“First of all, my advice is to wait for the rhythm. When someone tells you that your account is fraudulent, it’s easy to react, but you just know a little about it. Take the time to remind yourself that you saw this story, and you know, these things are happening, ”she says.

The Bank of America posted a warning on this website, stating the report:

It is important for viewers to understand that banks and other companies do not transfer money between accounts or request sensitive account information from customers in this manner.

Early Warning Services, LLC, a network operator in Zelle, agreed and added:

This could be an example of a phishing scam in which a scammer spoofed a bank phone number and tried to persuade someone to provide personal information rather than a bank or Zelle security breach.

7 The best advice here is not to respond to emails, texts, or one-way phone calls. Also be careful if the caller ID contains the name of a bank or other financial institution. Find your details online and contact your bank directly.

See more stories and videos from Michael Finney and 7 By Your Side.

Do you have any questions for Michael and the 7 On Your Side team? Fill out the form here !!

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