Hoosiers don't fall for latest banking phone scam

Another day, another scam.

Given that this one has been attacking Bloomington, Indiana, the college town of my alma mater, Indiana University, and the surrounding towns, I felt compelled to mention this. After all, it could happen anywhere: Over the weekend, several dozen people began receiving automated phone messages from a "bank" telling the caller that their account information had been compromised.

The voice then instructs them to press the #1 on their phone and type in their account information.

Fifth Third Bank on Monday morning received 30 phone calls about the phone message, reported the Indiana Daily Student. No word on whether anyone actually fell for the scam. The calls to Fifth Third and other banks apparently were concerned customers wondering if they had just avoided a trap.

In my case, I probably wouldn't have fallen for it, no matter how rushed I was or realistic the message. If the phone call had come to me, I'd have had to look for a checkbook before plugging in my account number, and I'd like to think that in those extra few seconds or minutes I'd have concluded that the phone call was a scam.

My bank account number is so long, you see, I still don't have it memorized. I'm almost starting to think that's a good thing.