Citibank doesn't warn its clients anymore: If you want to avoid surprises, do this

Citibank has issued an urgent alert to their customers in the United States. They have detected a wave of scammers using fake emails, calls, and text messages to deceive people. The bank warns: if you're not prepared, you could lose your money or discover strange charges without prior notice.

The problem starts when you receive an alarming message. They tell you there's suspicious activity on your account, that you must "verify" information, or that your card is at risk. They include a link or a phone number.

Citibank issues an urgent call: be very careful when shopping in the United States

If you click, you could end up on a fake page that steals your username and password. In other cases, they call imitating Citibank's number, making up transactions with Zelle transfers or international purchases you didn't make.

This scam has a name: "phishing" or "smishing" when they use text. Scammers have recently added another technique called "quishing": fake QR codes. If you scan them, they take you to malicious pages that install malware or capture your credentials.

This is how you can make safe and protected purchases online

Never use links you receive by message or enter information requested outside the official app or the real website. Always verify the source. Legitimate alerts from Citibank come from a known shortcode (95686) or from official addresses.

Enable alerts and Citibank's Fraud Early Warning system; this system monitors your accounts and notifies you if it detects anything unusual. If they detect unusual activity, they may contact you by message, email, or call to confirm it. Citibank also allows you to adjust custom alerts from the app or website.

Keep your information updated and check your account statements regularly. If you see unknown charges, report them immediately. In serious cases, Citi allows you to dispute transactions or block cards from the app itself.

Why is it so important to know this information? Citibank is blunt

This caution is essential because the danger of losing savings, identity, or getting caught with malware is real. Just one case in Maryland shows how a customer lost 49,000 USD in a single attack after believing a fake alert message. According to Citibank, these scams are becoming more sophisticated, mixing emails with calls and seemingly legitimate addresses.

Scammers take advantage of the trust we have in our bank. Citibank, aware of the risk, has strengthened their commitment. They'll never ask for your PIN, password, or Social Security number by email or call, and if they do, it's fraud.

Additionally, Citibank commits to reimbursing stolen funds in verified cases. But when a customer falls for a phishing trap, claiming can be a long and complicated process, and sometimes the bank denies the refund, as has already happened in some real cases.