How hijacked phone number helped hackers steal $25K from 86-year-old's bank account
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It's a wire fraud scam with a twist -- and it could happen to anyone.
In this case, it all started with a hijacked phone number that led to tens of thousands of dollars wired out of a woman's bank account.
How it happened
Eighty-six-year-old Joann returned home from the hospital when she noticed her landline telephone wasn't working. Her son Steve tried calling AT&T to report the problem.
"They said, 'Oh you know, there was a breach and we think your phone number from your landline was stolen!'" Steve said. "So that was really weird.'"
Steve says AT&T gave Joann a new number.
The next month, Joann got a letter from Wells Fargo's Fraud Detection Division indicating there was "unusual activity" on her savings account. That same day, she called the bank and was told to come in.
Upon arriving, she was shocked.
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"There was approximately $25,000 that had been wired out of her account," Steve said. "At first we didn't know how the money was taken out."
Weeks after her phone number was hijacked, this happens. An odd coincidence? Maybe.
But how would stealing a phone number be enough to commit wire fraud?
"Well, apparently whoever stole this number then had it converted to a cellphone to another carrier," he said.
Steve says an investigation found the hackers stole more than just Joann's AT&T phone number. The account was still registered in her late husband's name. According to the investigation, hackers used his father's identity and paired it with the stolen number to gain access online to a joint Wells Fargo bank account in his parents' name.
"It was too easy for this to happen," Steve said. "The failure from Wells Fargo... that they allowed the money to be taken out."
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7 On Your Side asked Wells Fargo what security protocols are in place to prevent this from happening. We received the following statement: "We are pleased this matter was resolved through our ongoing collaboration with our customer. We had been working with our customer prior to being contacted by KGO-TV. We continually combat fraud to protect our customers. As part of this effort, it is very important for customers to keep their account information current and notify us of life changes, including the passing of an account holder or co-accountholder."
Steve says he provided everything Wells Fargo asked for, including a death certificate verifying his father's passing in 2020. The bank removed his father's name from the account, and Steve helped his mom lock her credit.
Then came another problem.
"The big hurdle was they wanted a letter," recalled Steve.
Wells Fargo wanted a letter from AT&T confirming that Joann's number was stolen and ported to another company. But?
"You get into that customer service loop!" said Steve. He says he couldn't get a hold of anyone from AT&T!
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"The biggest frustration is the lack of customer service from AT&T until we reached out to 7 On Your Side!" he said.
After struggling for a month to sort this out, Steve says after 7 On Your Side got involved, he heard back from AT&T 15 minutes later. He sent their letter to Wells Fargo, and the bank agreed to refund Joann the $25,000.
Wells Fargo told us, "Once we were provided complete information to make a claim decision, we made our customer whole."
"7 On Your Side for me was like a lifesaver," Steve said. "I mean the door was locked to us and we weren't getting any further. 7 On Your Side was the key that opened that door up. And it was just amazing how quickly everything went in the right direction."
AT&T apologized to Steve and Joann for the delay and sent 7 On Your Side the following statement: "Fraudulent port outs are a form of theft committed by sophisticated criminals. We work closely with law enforcement, our industry and consumers to help prevent this type of crime."
The latest data from the FBI shows financial scams targeting seniors caused more than $4.8 billion in losses in 2024 alone. That's a 43% increase from 2023.
Tips from Wells Fargo
Monitor accounts frequently:
Take a look at more stories and videos by 7 On Your Side.
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