Harvesting More Than Pumpkins: How Scammers Collect Your Information

Pumpkin season is all about the harvest. Scammers may have a different harvest in mind. They can collect small bits of personal information over time. Later, they may use those details to make a scam sound real.

A scam does not always start with a request for money. Sometimes the first goal is to learn more about you. A scammer may want your name, phone number, email, job, family details, or login information. Those pieces can help them build trust or pretend to be someone you know.

Where can scammers get personal information?

Phishing texts, emails, and fake websites

A fake toll notice, delivery problem, account alert, or prize message may lead to a website that looks real. The page may ask for a card number, login, one-time code, driver's license details, or other private information. The message is the bait. The details you enter may be what the scammer wants most.

Public social media posts

Public profiles can share more than we realize. Birthdays, hometowns, jobs, family names, travel plans, pet names, and daily habits can help a scammer build a believable story. Review your privacy settings. Before you post, ask if a stranger could use that detail later.

Quizzes, giveaways, and seasonal apps

A fun quiz or holiday app may ask for details that seem harmless. Before you share, ask what the app needs and why. Be extra careful with questions that sound like account recovery questions, such as your first pet, school, street, or family name.

Data breaches

Sometimes a company or service has a data breach. You cannot stop every breach. You can still lower your risk by using strong, different passwords and turning on multi-factor authentication when you can.

Stop. Check. Protect. your information

STOP before entering personal information after clicking a link in an unexpected message.
CHECK the website or app independently. Open the service yourself instead of using the link that contacted you.
PROTECT passwords and one-time verification codes. Do not give them to someone who contacted you unexpectedly.
Review app permissions and avoid giving access that does not make sense for what the app does.
Limit the personal details you make public on social media.
Use strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication when available.

A costume can look convincing

Halloween is a good reminder that a costume can fool us. A fake site may copy the logo of a bank, delivery company, government office, or favorite store. A message may even know your name. That still does not prove the sender is real.

If a message claims to be from Anderson Brothers Bank, check it through a trusted ABB contact method. Do not share online banking passwords, PINs, or one-time codes with someone who contacts you out of the blue.

The less information scammers can collect, the harder it is for them to build a strong story. This Halloween, keep the treats for friends and family. Keep your personal details out of the wrong hands.

Fraud prevention content is educational and does not guarantee prevention, recovery, or reimbursement. Customers should contact Anderson Brothers Bank directly through a trusted phone number, the official website, or a local branch if they believe an account, card, online banking access, or personal information may be at risk. Resolution timelines, provisional credits, reimbursement, and consumer liability depend on the facts, payment type, timing, and applicable law.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do scammers get personal information?

They may use phishing messages, fake websites, public social media posts, data breaches, online forms, apps, and other sources.

Can a scammer use information from social media?

Yes. Public details can help scammers impersonate people or organizations and make messages sound more believable.

Should I share a one-time verification code with someone from my bank?

Do not share one-time verification codes with someone who contacted you unexpectedly. If you are unsure, end the conversation and contact the bank directly using a trusted channel.

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