Details of a Scam
None
<p>Longtime Crypto-Gram readers know that I collect <a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/02/details-of-a-phone-scam.html">personal experiences</a> of people being scammed. Here’s an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/nyregion/zelle-chase-banking-scam.html?unlocked_article_code=1.nE8.mifp.13j7oh96HfpC&smid=url-share&%23038;utm_source=substack&%23038;utm_medium=email">almost</a>:</p><blockquote> <p>Then he added, “Here at Chase, we’ll never ask for your personal information or passwords.” On the contrary, he gave me more information—two “cancellation codes” and a long case number with four letters and 10 digits.</p> <p>That’s when he offered to transfer me to his supervisor. That simple phrase, familiar from countless customer-service calls, draped a cloak of corporate competence over this unfolding drama. His <i>supervisor</i>. I mean, would a scammer have a supervisor?</p> <p>The line went mute for a few seconds, and a second man greeted me with a voice of authority. “My name is Mike Wallace,” he said, and asked for my case number from the first guy. I dutifully read it back to him.</p> <p>“Yes, yes, I see,” the man said, as if looking at a screen. He explained the situation—new account, Zelle transfers, Texas—and suggested we reverse the attempted withdrawal.</p> <p>I’m not proud to report that by now, he had my full attention, and I was ready to proceed with whatever plan he had in mind.</p> </blockquote><p>It happens to smart people who know better. It could happen to you.</p><div class="spu-placeholder" style="display:none"></div><div class="addtoany_share_save_container addtoany_content addtoany_content_bottom"><div class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_20 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="https://securityboulevard.com/2025/09/details-of-a-scam/" data-a2a-title="Details of a Scam"><a class="a2a_button_twitter" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2025%2F09%2Fdetails-of-a-scam%2F&linkname=Details%20of%20a%20Scam" title="Twitter" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_linkedin" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/linkedin?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2025%2F09%2Fdetails-of-a-scam%2F&linkname=Details%20of%20a%20Scam" title="LinkedIn" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2025%2F09%2Fdetails-of-a-scam%2F&linkname=Details%20of%20a%20Scam" title="Facebook" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_reddit" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/reddit?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2025%2F09%2Fdetails-of-a-scam%2F&linkname=Details%20of%20a%20Scam" title="Reddit" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_email" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsecurityboulevard.com%2F2025%2F09%2Fdetails-of-a-scam%2F&linkname=Details%20of%20a%20Scam" title="Email" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share"></a></div></div><p class="syndicated-attribution">*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from <a href="https://www.schneier.com/">Schneier on Security</a> authored by <a href="https://securityboulevard.com/author/0/" title="Read other posts by Bruce Schneier">Bruce Schneier</a>. Read the original post at: <a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2025/09/details-of-a-scam.html">https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2025/09/details-of-a-scam.html</a> </p><div class="code-block code-block-12 ai-track" data-ai="WzEyLCIiLCJCbG9jayAxMiIsIiIsMV0=" style="margin: 8px 0; clear: both;"> <style> .ai-rotate {position: relative;} .ai-rotate-hidden {visibility: hidden;} .ai-rotate-hidden-2 {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;} .ai-list-data, .ai-ip-data, .ai-filter-check, .ai-fallback, .ai-list-block, .ai-list-block-ip, .ai-list-block-filter {visibility: hidden; position: absolute; width: 50%; height: 1px; top: -1000px; z-index: -9999; margin: 0px!important;} .ai-list-data, .ai-ip-data, .ai-filter-check, .ai-fallback {min-width: 1px;} </style> <div class="ai-rotate ai-unprocessed ai-timed-rotation ai-12-1" data-info="WyIxMi0xIiwxXQ==" style="position: relative;"> <div class="ai-rotate-option" style="visibility: hidden;" data-index="1" data-name="VGVjaHN0cm9uZyBHYW5nIFlvdXR1YmU=" data-time="MTA="> <div class="custom-ad"> <div style="margin: auto; text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/Fojn5NFwaw8" target="_blank"><img src="https://securityboulevard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Techstrong-Gang-Youtube-PodcastV2-770.png" alt="Techstrong Gang Youtube"></a></div> <div class="clear-custom-ad"></div> </div></div> </div> </div>