---
title: What scam to look out for in 2025
description: "Learn how to protect yourself from \"The Phantom Hacker\" scam expected to continue in 2025, with key prevention tips from Tompkins Community Bank."
image: https://blog.tompkinsbank.com/hubfs/Man_using_keyboard_security-1.jpg
---

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# What scam to look out for in 2025

 Published by [Tompkins Community Bank](https://blog.tompkinsbank.com/author/tompkins-community-bank) on  Jan 28, 2025 2:34:09 PM

**January 28th was National Data Privacy Day, and Tompkins shared one of the top scams we expect to continue in 2025, and ways you can protect yourself from it**

### **"The Phantom Hacker"**

Victims are being convinced their accounts have been hacked, with scammers using that fear and confusion to steal their money.

The premise of "The Phantom Hacker" is that a victim will receive a message (call, email, pop-up) from a scammer impersonating a representative of the victim's bank. The scammer will convince the victim that their financial accounts have been compromised and strongly urge them to move their money quickly to another account to protect it. In truth, there never was any fraudulent account activity, but the scammer now has control of the money that the victim transferred away for protection.

Scammers may attempt variations of this including, impersonating an IT administrator or government official. They may attempt to give you a fake number to call claiming it to be for your bank or in some cases they may ask you to download a 3rd party app or software, using it to gain access to the financial accounts stored on your phone.

### Key Prevention Items:

- **Never give anyone access** to your phone, computer or your credentials to your online banking accounts.
- **Never click on links -** Do not click unsolicited pop-ups, mysterious links from text messages or emails or download any unknown attachments. Do not call any phone numbers from unsolicited messages.
- **Never give your account information,** including credentials to people or businesses not on your account
- **Do not download software** at the request of an unknown individual who contacted you.
- **Check your accounts regularly for potential fraud**

If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a representative of Tompkins, call our customer care center at: 1-888-273-3210. If someone calls you from Tompkins and you are suspicious you should hang up and call the customer care center to ensure it is a legitimate call.

 

For more information on "The Phantom Hacker" scam you can view the FBI's official alert here: [https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2023/PSA230929](https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2023/PSA230929) 

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