Banks Warn Customers About Y2K Scheme

RALEIGH — Officials atBank of America,First Unionand other financial institutions are issuing an alert to customers, warning of a scheme that uses Y2K scare tactics to get your money.

Bank officials say someone, posing as a bank representative, is calling people and urging them to transfer their money into an account that is allegedly immune from the Year 2000 computer problem.

The caller asks the customer to verify personal information, including account numbers.

"We never call our customers and ask them to verify information we already have," says Lee Youngblood, Regional President ofBB&T. Youngblood says banks should already have all the information they need about their customers.

He also says Y2K will not affect any account in a way that would require bank customers to transfer their money.

"If somebody does call you and say you need to transfer it to a different account because of Y2K, be very suspicious of that," Youngblood says.

Bank officials say if you do get a call like this, you should hang up and call the bank back to see if anyone from there just called.

Law enforcement officials want you to notify them immediately as well.

"I'm not surprised to hear that someone is trying to capitalize on this type of scam," says Sgt. Michael Hunter of the Raleigh Police Fraud unit.

The stateAttorney General's officesays it is aware of this scheme, but so far, has not received any complaints from anyone in North Carolina.