BCSO Warns Residents About Scam - WMBB News 13 - The Panhandle's News Leader

BCSO Warns Residents About Scam

The Bay County Sheriff's Office has received numerous complaints about an email and telephone scam in the bay County area. The fraudulent email claims to be from Citibank.

The emails appear to be a bank statement or a credit card statement from Citibank and request the recipient respond with an email containing personal information. Sometimes a phone call is placed to potential victims, also claiming to be from Citibank, and requests the victim's social security number, credit card number, or even the last four digits of a credit card. The information is solicited in order to commit identity theft.

When contacted by BCSO investigators, Citibank stated they would never ask for personal information by email or phone call. Anyone receiving a phone call or email claiming to be from a financial institution and asking for personal information is urged to disregard the contact. Most calls and emails of this nature originate outside the United States and are difficult to prosecute.

Press Release Provided by the Bay County Sheriff's Office