Is It Normal For Your Bank To Call You?

[Family Ties Forever!]

Is it just me, or is this strange?

A lady called me earlier today saying that she was from my bank. She told me that she was my 'banker'. She asked me if I had any questions about my account. I found it highly suspicious that she called me because all the years I have been a customer at that bank no one has ever called me. She said that I could call her back if that made me feel more comfortable. I spoke to the branch manager at the bank. He said that she does work there and that they should have been calling me over the years to see if I had questions or needed anything with my account as I customer.

I found the whole thing to be weird, but I guess it's for real.

Has anyone ever had someone from their bank call them like this?

[dakert]

It must be a new thing as the Bank has been calling me I guess they just want to be friendlier.

[HuntingtonM15]

I've never gotten a call like that, though I have gotten calls from people at the bank trying to get me to purchase extra things for my account such as some security plan.

[Tweety]

I've been in banking for over 25 years (yikes!)

That is unusual, but I wouldn't be surprised if that might be an idea someone at your bank came up with in order to stay in touch with their customers.

I don't think most banks initiate calls to existing customers unless there's a business reason to do so (e.g. checking account is overdrawn, loan payment is late). It may be that they simply generated a list of all of their customers, and are simply going down the list one by one and calling the customers just to touch base with them.

If you've been a customer there for quite a while and this is the first call you've ever received, then it's probably a new idea that they had.

You were definitely right to be suspicious though. There are all kinds of fraud and scams going on out there to try to get people's personal and banking info.

If anyone out there does get a call like that, it's certainly a prudent thing to do to take THEIR number and tell them you'll call them back. Usually, every employee will have their own direct contact number, so it won't be the same number as the number that the bank lists in the phone book or on its web site.

If you get a call and you don't positively know who the person is who is calling, take their name and number and then call the bank's main number to verify that the person does indeed work there. Ask to speak to the office manger... you might have to leave YOUR number for a call back, but it's worth it to be safe.

I think that if an employee calls you on their own line, it very well could come up on your caller ID as being a call from the bank. But it's always best to take the name and number of the person calling and then call the bank back to verify the authenticity of the original call.

You can't be too careful these days.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Family Ties Forever!

Is it just me, or is this strange?

A lady called me earlier today saying that she was from my bank. She told me that she was my 'banker'. She asked me if I had any questions about my account. I found it highly suspicious that she called me because all the years I have been a customer at that bank no one has ever called me. She said that I could call her back if that made me feel more comfortable. I spoke to the branch manager at the bank. He said that she does work there and that they should have been calling me over the years to see if I had questions or needed anything with my account as I customer.

I found the whole thing to be weird, but I guess it's for real.

Has anyone ever had someone from their bank call them like this?

No this is not normal

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by Tweety

I've been in banking for over 25 years (yikes!)

That is unusual, but I wouldn't be surprised if that might an idea someone at your bank came up with in order to stay in touch with their customers.

I don't think most banks initiate calls to existing customers unless there's a business reason to do so (e.g. checking account is overdrawn, loan payment is late). It may be that they simply generated a list of all of their customers, and are simply going down the list one by one and calling the customers just to touch base with them.

If you've been a customer there for quite a while and this is the first call you've ever received, then it's probably a new idea that they had.

You were definitely right to be suspicious though. There are all kinds of fraud and scams going on out there to try to get people's personal and banking info.

If anyone out there does get a call like that, it's certainly a prudent thing to do to take THEIR number and tell them you'll call them back. Usually, every employee will have their own direct contact number, so it won't be the same number as the number that the bank lists in the phone book or on its web site.

If you get a call and you don't positively know who the person is who is calling, take their name and number and then call the bank's main number to verify that the person does indeed work there. Ask to speak to the office manger... you might have to leave YOUR number for a call back, but it's worth it to be safe.

I think that if an employee calls you on their own line, it very well could come up on your caller ID as being a call from the bank. But it's always best to take the name and number of the person calling and then call the bank back to verify the authenticity of the original call.

You can't be too careful these days.

As someone who has worked in a bank myself (10 1/2 yrs) I know your advice to be ABSOLUTELY ON MARK and VERY WISE. If the call is legit, you can always go to the bank, or one of its branches, and check out the issue.

As you imply, there are scammers out there, so I'd never give out info over the phone AND ESP. THE INTERNET.

[sh3k]

there is nothing weard in it,bankers usually calls you for your convinience,to make their customers happy and comfortable with the bank

[Dork]

Originally Posted by sh3k

there is nothing weard in it,bankers usually calls you for your convinience,to make their customers happy and comfortable with the bank

Yeah, that is my thought too

[biffbronson]

I've had more calls over the past year or two than in all of my previous banking years combined...! (since the mid-1980s)

I thought that one reason might have been the bad weather -- branches are probably short on walk-in traffic, so the employees have more time to make "courtesy calls."

[waichingliu81]

i'm not sure, although say if money from your account was missing or someone has been taking funds out of it without your permission and it was not under your name, then perhaps the bank has a right to ring you up and discuss this dilemma with you.

[Yooch]

Originally Posted by Tweety

I've been in banking for over 25 years (yikes!)

That is unusual, but I wouldn't be surprised if that might be an idea someone at your bank came up with in order to stay in touch with their customers.

I don't think most banks initiate calls to existing customers unless there's a business reason to do so (e.g. checking account is overdrawn, loan payment is late). It may be that they simply generated a list of all of their customers, and are simply going down the list one by one and calling the customers just to touch base with them.

If you've been a customer there for quite a while and this is the first call you've ever received, then it's probably a new idea that they had.

You were definitely right to be suspicious though. There are all kinds of fraud and scams going on out there to try to get people's personal and banking info.

If anyone out there does get a call like that, it's certainly a prudent thing to do to take THEIR number and tell them you'll call them back. Usually, every employee will have their own direct contact number, so it won't be the same number as the number that the bank lists in the phone book or on its web site.

If you get a call and you don't positively know who the person is who is calling, take their name and number and then call the bank's main number to verify that the person does indeed work there. Ask to speak to the office manger... you might have to leave YOUR number for a call back, but it's worth it to be safe.

I think that if an employee calls you on their own line, it very well could come up on your caller ID as being a call from the bank. But it's always best to take the name and number of the person calling and then call the bank back to verify the authenticity of the original call.

You can't be too careful these days.

Good advice, Tweety. Mindful of scams out there, the few times I've ever been called by my bank, I always would go to my local branch to ask if they had a record of anyone calling me from the company, just to check if it was legit.

During the days of major predatory lending several years ago, I would have my mortgage company constantly, and I mean constantly calling me to refinance (at one point it was like weekly) to a much lower rate, meaning to an adjustable rate, but they wouldn't come right out and say that. Fortunately I never took the bait. I've since refinanced twice, on my own terms to a much lower fixed rate. This mortgage company, by the way, doesn't exist anymore, being bought out by a major bank. Even though it wasn't a scam per se, it was a major annoyance. Mortgage company, bank, whatever, as you say Tweety, people should be very careful.