Huntington Bank Customer Loses $9,000 After Spoofed Caller Has Her Transfer Money at a Branch

A Huntington Bank customer has lost $9,000 after a caller posing as a bank employee had her transfer the money at a branch while she was traveling.

The Michigan resident, who asked not to be identified, received the call while out of state, reports ABC12.

The caller identified herself as Huntington Bank employee Ellen Caldwell and said the customer’s account had been hit with fraudulent activity.

The number on the phone appeared to belong to the bank, and the caller told her to move money out through Zelle or a wire transfer.

Says the fraudster,

“We are thinking somebody within the system, in the company, is doing this…

She said your money won’t be touched. We are just going to try to see who is taking this out.”

The woman went to a Huntington branch in that other state and completed two transfers totaling $9,000, one to Bank of America and one to PNC Bank.

Says the victim,

“There was the Huntington name, the Huntington correct number; we called that number back. The person that took me to the bank called the number back while we were standing outside the bank and it was Huntington.”

Similar scams have been reported against Huntington Bank customers in the Cleveland area and in other parts of the country.

The victim says she should have been told earlier that her account had been compromised.

“They are not letting anyone know, because my account was compromised in May and September. I should have been notified.”

She is working with a Huntington branch in Saginaw in hopes of getting the money back.

“To me, they are making it seem like it’s your fault, when the security breach is on their end.”

A Huntington spokesperson says the bank cannot comment on an individual account.

Says the spokesperson,

“Huntington takes fraud concerns seriously and carefully reviews every reported instance based on the facts and circumstances involved.”

The bank reminds customers never to share passwords or sensitive financial information and to slow down and verify unexpected requests before sending money.