Minnesota Bank Warning Of Text-Based Scam Being Reported

The ways in which scammers try to take advantage of people seem virtually endless. Some are pretty obvious, while others are pretty sophisticated.

No matter the method, you always have to be on alert these days, sadly. This week, a Minnesota bank warned about a scam they've had reported that is targeting people via text messages.

Grand Marais State Bank, which has branches in both Grand Marais and Tofte, shared just yesterday on their social media that they've had some individuals report a text message-based scam claiming to be from the bank that tries to get information from potential victims.

While there have been some variations, an example of the message they shared reads: "Grand Marais State Bank Alert; We noticed a new device signed into your bank account just now please visit the link below to secure your account".

Someone trying to access your bank account is clearly concerning, and your first reflex might be to quickly click the link to secure your account. Two-factor authentication and security messages like this aren't out of the question as part of legitimate security measures for accounts.

This type of scam is called phishing, which tries to get a potential victim to click on a link and/or provide some information. In this case, it might ask to verify some account information, which the scammer can then use to try to get into your account.

In this case, there are a few tell-tale signs for those that look closely. Aside from some minor grammar things, the link is for a website on weebly.com, which is a free/cheap website hosting and creation company and has nothing to do with the bank.

If you don't know that though, it might be easier to just assume it is legitimate. So, how do you protect yourself from something like this if you aren't sure?

First things first, never click on a link you aren't expecting. Especially if it is related to an account or creates some sense of urgency, it could possibly be a scam. Your best bet is to reach out directly to your bank (or whatever other company it is) to ask about it. Then they can either confirm that there is an issue or let you know if it might be a scam.