Asked Siri to call your bank? A scam could cost thousands

Asking Siri to call your credit card company sounds about as routine as asking for the weather. You say the company name, Siri finds a number and the call begins. For Virginia, an 82-year-old woman from Concord, Massachusetts, that simple request nearly turned into a financial nightmare.

She says she asked Siri to call American Express. Instead, she reached a bogus number. From there, the conversation eventually moved to her Bank of America account and a supposed $1,000 credit that suddenly became $100,000. Virginia caught on before sending the money.

Her story shows how a Siri bank scam can exploit something many of us barely think about: where a phone number came from before we dialed it. The Better Business Bureau has previously warned that fake customer service numbers can surface through voice searches. It has documented cases involving Siri and other voice assistants where people believed they had reached a legitimate company.

Here's how the scam unfolded and what you can do before your next financial call to make sure you're reaching the real company.

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Virginia wrote to CyberGuy after the experience because she wanted other people to know how quickly a seemingly safe phone call can go wrong.

"Hi, I just wanted to pass on this scam. I needed to call American Express. Instead of using the phone number on my credit card, I asked Siri to call American Express instead. It was all downhill from that point on. The telephone number was bogus, and eventually I wound up on my BOA account with a so-called BOA Security Expert. Fortunately, when zeros started being added to the $1000.00 credit I was supposed to get, and the "gentleman" said he couldn't correct it, I needed to go to BOA and return the $100000.00. I realized what was going on and immediately hung up and froze my BOA account. I never expected that a number that Siri provided would lead to trouble. I try to inform people now that calling a number can also put your finances in jeopardy. I am 82 years old and could have lost my entire retirement in one fell swoop. Thank you," Virginia, Concord, Massachusetts.

That last part stopped me. Virginia had no reason to think asking Siri to place a call could potentially put her retirement savings in danger. After all, she initiated the call herself. That gave the person who answered an immediate advantage.

Based on Virginia's account, this looks like two scam techniques chained together. First came the fake customer service number. Then came a refund or overpayment scheme designed to persuade her to send real money back.

Virginia says she asked Siri to call American Express rather than using the phone number printed on her card. Apple says business information can appear across Apple services, including Maps and Siri. Place cards can include phone numbers and other business details.

We reached out to Apple for comment but did not hear back before our deadline. However, Virginia's experience alone cannot tell us how this specific bogus number became associated with her request. We simply do not know how the bad number got there.

This was a powerful setup because Virginia believed she had contacted American Express herself. She had not answered a random phone call. She had asked her iPhone to make the call. That can lower your guard before the person on the other end even says hello.

The Better Business Bureau has warned about this problem. Scammers can promote fake support numbers that make their way into online search results. Voice assistants may then use information pulled from those results or related business listings.

We have seen a similar trap with traditional web searches. In our report, The No. 1 Google search scam everyone falls for, a victim searching for customer support landed on a fake number and eventually lost control of his phone. Voice assistants can add another layer of trust because you may never see the number before the call starts.

According to Virginia, she eventually found herself dealing with someone claiming to be a Bank of America security expert. At that point, the story had shifted from customer service to her bank account. That shift should immediately raise your guard. Bank of America warns about criminals who pose as bank representatives and invent urgent problems involving your account. Scammers may ask for verification codes, remote access or money transfers. Then Virginia encountered the clue that saved her.

Virginia says she expected a $1,000 credit. Then zeros started appearing. Suddenly, she was dealing with $100,000. The supposed bank expert told her the mistake could not be corrected. According to Virginia, she was then told she needed to go to Bank of America and return the excess money. That follows a familiar overpayment or refund scam pattern.

Scammers claim they accidentally sent too much money. Then they pressure you to return the difference before you have time to verify what happened. Fortunately, the sudden jump to $100,000 made Virginia question the entire story. She hung up and froze her Bank of America account.

We cannot determine that from Virginia's description. Scammers sometimes use remote-access software to manipulate what a person sees on a computer. They can also move a victim's own money between accounts, so it appears that a new deposit arrived. Another possibility involves a fake banking page designed to display whatever balance the criminal wants the victim to see.

CyberGuy has covered how fake support representatives use remote access and other tactics to take control of devices. You can see the warning signs in our guide, Protect yourself from tech support scams. Virginia did not provide enough information to identify the exact technique used here.

What we do know is that the criminal wanted her to believe $100,000 had appeared and that she needed to return it. If she had followed those instructions, the money she sent would have been very real.

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A scammer may know your name, your bank or details that make the call sound convincing. These steps can help you stay in control.

For banks and credit card companies, the safest starting point is usually the number printed on the back of your physical card. You can also open the institution's official app and find its contact information there. Avoid relying on a phone number supplied by a search result, sponsored ad or voice assistant when your finances are involved.

A call to your credit card company should not suddenly require you to move money through an unrelated bank account. If the story starts getting complicated, hang up. Then contact the company again using a verified number.

A scammer may claim your money needs to be transferred into another account to keep it safe. Do not do it. Bank of America warns that it will never ask customers to transfer money because fraud was detected on an account. The same caution applies if someone tells you to withdraw cash, buy gift cards or purchase cryptocurrency to resolve a banking problem.

If someone says $1,000 accidentally became $100,000, stop. Do not transfer the supposed difference back. Contact your bank independently and ask it to verify your actual balance and transaction history.

Banks use one-time codes to confirm your identity or approve certain actions. A scammer may ask you to read one aloud while claiming it is needed to cancel fraud. Never give a verification code to someone who called you or someone you reached through an unverified number.

If someone claiming to represent a bank or credit card company tells you to install software that lets them see or control your screen, end the call. Remote-access programs can give criminals enormous control over your computer. They may watch you log into your bank, move money between accounts or manipulate what appears on the screen.

Strong antivirus software can help protect you if a fake support representative sends you to a malicious website or convinces you to download a dangerous file. It can also warn you about phishing pages and other threats designed to steal passwords or financial information. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.

Set alerts for purchases, withdrawals and transfers so you know quickly when money moves. You should also enable notifications for suspicious logins and changes to your account information when your financial institution offers them. These alerts give you another chance to catch activity you did not authorize.

Your banking password should never be reused on another account. A password manager can create and store strong passwords so you do not have to remember them all. Also enable two-factor authentication whenever your bank supports it. An authenticator app or security key can provide stronger protection when available.

If someone tells you money suddenly appeared in your account, do not rely on what they show you. Close the session. Open your bank's official app yourself or type the bank's website address directly into your browser. Then check your transactions independently.

If Siri or Apple Maps provides incorrect business information, you can report the listing to Apple. On an iPhone, open Maps > tap your picture or initials next to the search field > tap Reports > tap Report a New Issue > choose the appropriate option and follow the on-screen instructions. Fixing a bad listing may help prevent someone else from reaching the same number.

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If you think a scammer got access to your financial information, act quickly.

Hang up and stop responding to texts, emails or calls from the person. Do not use a callback number they provided.

Use the number on your card or inside the official app. Tell the fraud department exactly what happened. Ask whether any transfers, new payees or other account changes need to be stopped.

Virginia froze her Bank of America account as soon as she realized something was wrong. Your bank may also allow you to lock a debit or credit card instantly through its app.

If you entered a password while the scammer could see your screen, or you gave one away, change it from a trusted device. Change any other account that used the same or a similar password.

If you installed a remote-control program at the scammer's direction, disconnect that computer from the internet. Remove the software and run a full antivirus scan before signing back into sensitive accounts. If you are unsure whether the device is clean, get help from a trusted computer professional before using it for banking again.

Look for unfamiliar transactions, new payees and changes to your phone number or email address. Also check whether the scammer altered security settings or added a new device to the account.

If the scammer obtained your Social Security number or enough personal information to open accounts in your name, consider freezing your credit with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A credit freeze can make it harder for a criminal to open new credit in your name.

Report financial fraud to your bank immediately. You can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If money was transferred, contact the financial institution involved as soon as possible. Some transactions become much harder to recover once they are completed.

Criminals may contact victims again after the first attempt. Sometimes they pretend to be investigators, bank employees or recovery specialists who claim they can get your money back. Treat any unexpected follow-up contact with suspicion.

What sticks with me about Virginia's story is how ordinary the first move felt. She was trying to reach a company she already trusted and used Siri to save herself a little time. That tiny convenience nearly opened the door to a six-figure loss. Virginia also deserves credit for catching the moment when the story stopped making sense. A $1,000 credit becoming $100,000 was enough to make her question the person guiding her. 

That instinct protected her retirement. I also would not frame this as an age issue. Criminals succeed because they exploit trust in familiar technology and recognizable financial brands. Anyone can get caught when a call begins through a device they use every day. From now on, I would treat financial phone numbers almost like passwords. Verify them before you use them. The number on your physical card or inside the official banking app gives you a much stronger starting point than a search result or voice request.

After hearing what happened to Virginia, would you still let Siri dial your bank without checking the number first? Have you ever reached the wrong company through a voice assistant or online search? Write to us in the comments below and tell us what happened. Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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