My bank just scammed me or so I believe. I received two e-mails past 24 hours headed: PNC Alert-Account Security

States someone attempted a domestic transfer of 3K less than my account balance from my checking account. A 5 figure amount. If you don't recognize activity call PNC immediately. Or contact by e-mail their security. I went online to my account and no alerts or messages to me. but they had a new security program I was encouraged to sign up for. I went back to e-mail and printed off message so I could call next day ASAP(No consultants available at night).

At bottom in tiny print is a message containing:

This message may be considered a commercial electronic message under Canadian law or this message may contain an advertisement of a product or service and thus may constitute a commercial electronic mail message under US law. You may unsubscribe at any time from receiving commercial electronic messages from PNC

OK. So this is how PNC sells a new product? I called PNC this AM in case alert is real and consultant checked my account. No activity. Said it was a scammer. How did they/scammer know account number and amount in it? A; They probably went through trash or mailbox. He told me how they give out real phone numbers and e-mail addresses to reel you in, but when you connect you get only the scammer. Went over how they gain your trust to squeeze out information. Said I did the right thing by calling. Nice man. THEN HE TRIED TO CONVINCE ME TO SIGN UP FOR PNCs NEW SECURITY SERVICE.

I really do not like this marketing strategy at all. Going to the bank today to transfer my funds to my other bank.

Good idea on moving away from that bank.

I've also been reading some disturbing (to me) news of other banks having trouble, That massive problem with the bank/s in China looks like it will be spreading to other banks and even ones in this country. Depending on how it goes, it might be a good idea to either spread out your money if it's in the banks and look at which banks or credit unions are the safest. When they changed the rules from bail out in the 07/08 recession to bail in, that means when you make a deposit the money is no longer yours. It is the banks and the bank gives you an unsecured IOU for the amount. As an unsecured creditor, you are going to be the last one to get paid if there's a problem. The deposit guarantee corp which says your account is protected to 250K only has less than 8 percent to guarantee the deposits, so if that 8 percent runs out then you get an IOU, if anything.

I've adopted a routine of moving as much as possible out and only leaving enough to pay the bills due. Owe $500, I move $500 into account the day or two before and then pay from the account, leaving maybe a couple hundred in reserve. Last thing I want is to go to get money and instead finding a locked door or like many people recently, an ATM machine that is "currently inoperative".

I didn't realize that PNC was getting so bad - but I only have one tenant's SD in an account there. A shame, because PNC was very easy to work with and responsive after my Dad died in FL eight years ago.

Be cautious with credit unions. We limited our use of a local CU after two different clerks on two different occasions asked us to say our social security numbers out loud in a space that was wide open to others' ears. In one instance, when we wrote the numbers instead on a scrap of paper so that we did not need to say them aloud, the clerk started to toss the scrap into the trash, rather than handing it to us or shredding it. Sloppy.

Interesting. I have accounts at PNC and have been very pleased with their professionalism and level of service. They were lightyears ahead of 5/3 and Northwest. I opened accounts at all 3 on the same day, and there was just no comparison.

I'm a little confused, though. Did the original email originate from PNC or not? It sounds like you thought it did as a way to drum up business for their security services, but the PNC consultant said it wasn't from them?

Hmmmmmm since PNC stands for Pittsburgh National Bank and they are referencing Canadian law, I would call bull.