news
4:30 p.m. update from Brandon Presley, the public service commission for the Northern District:
Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley warned Mississippi consumers today of a series of scam calls claiming to be BancorpSouth, Renasant Bank, and Community Bank, asking customers to either validate or re-instate their debit cards. Presley said his office contacted officials with the banks and verified that the calls were indeed a scam.
"These calls came from a variety of numbers including 'private' numbers and asked consumers to give information including their debit card expiration dates and other confidential information in order to ‘re-instate” or “validate" your debit card,” Presley said.
---
Press release from BancorpSouth:
Phishing Activities Targeting BancorpSouth Bank Customers and Non-Customers
TUPELO, MISS. – (June 5, 2012) BancorpSouth, Inc. (NYSE: BXS) announced today that its subsidiary, BancorpSouth Bank, continues to experience an increased level of fraudulent messages, often referred to as phishing, targeting numerous BancorpSouth customers and non-customers.
The automated phone calls typically give the pretext of activating a debit card and ask the recipient to provide their debit or credit card number and PIN for identification. These messages are being sent by way of cell phone calls, text messages, and emails. The messages generally mention that the card number for the recipient has been deactivated. This is an effort to have the recipient contact a phone number or web site to provide card information.
These calls are not legitimate. BancorpSouth will never ask for personal or account information by these means. Should an account holder receive a suspicious phone call or e-mail, consumers should NOT give out any personal or account information.
In the event consumers become suspicious about a call received regarding their debit or credit cards, they should contact BancorpSouth’s Customer Service Center at 888-797-7711, or a BancorpSouth office, prior to providing any information.