Major Bank in Upstate New York Issues Urgent Scam Warning

Scammers have become so aggressive, a major bank chain is directly warning customers about the criminal activity.

There are countless scams New Yorkers are told to avoid, like the "pig butchering" romance scam or real estate scams that swindle millions every year.

The problem is, scammers have gotten smarter and are preying on emotions to get what they want.

One such example is the countless fake fundraisers following the murder of two Syracuse area police officers that seemed legitimate. Another brazen example was the "I'm stranded" scheme that directly preyed on people's kindness in New Hartford.

Read More: Scammers Becoming More Aggressive with Victims in Upstate New York

Fraudsters have also upped their game by using artificial intelligence to impersonate anyone from police officers to the U.S. Postal Service to convince victims to surrender large sums of money.

Imposter scams are nothing new, but they're more distinguished than ever - especially when it involves banking institutions.

Earlier this year, Credit One raised the alarm that imposters were calling, texting, and emailing customers with eerily convincing messages that their accounts had been compromised.

It seems scammers are back at it again, this time they're targeting current and previous clients of Berkshire Bank, which operates roughly a dozen locations across Central New York.

The banker warned of an "increase in fraudulent calls claiming to be from Berkshire Bank."

The company said fraudsters are spoofing their official number and calling people with seemingly urgent messages about their bank account. These scammers then request sensitive information, like debit card number, expiration date, username, and password.

Berkshire Bank warned that the company will never solicit such information over a call, text, or email.

If you get an unusual call, text or email don’t reveal any personal information until you verify it’s from a legitimate source. If you have any doubt, contact us at 833-BERKBNK.

The company has updated its anti-fraud webpage to further inform customers of the latest scams and the steps they can take to prevent both their money and personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

That said, if you receive a call or are directed to visit a webpage that seems legitimate, it's best to be skeptical and instead carry out such business directly with your banking institution.

Berkshire Bank owns 3 branches in Rome, 2 in New Hartford, and one in Whitesboro, Deerfield, Ilion, and West Winfield.

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