Personal lines of credit are offered by banks and credit unions, and most require you to hold a checking account at the same institution. This guide explains how a personal line of credit works, why the checking account requirement matters, how it differs from a credit card or HELOC, and what to confirm before you sign.
Do Banks Ask You to Verify Account Info by Email or Text?
Do banks and credit unions ask customers to verify account information via email or text? The short answer is no — never. This article explains why that message in your inbox is almost certainly a phishing scam, what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says about it, and the exact steps to take to protect your money.
Here is the quick version:
- Banks and credit unions never ask for account information through email or text message.
- A “verify your account” message is a common scam known as phishing.
- Never respond to the message or click links inside it.
- Contact your financial institution directly using a phone number from a different source — not the one in the message.
- Report the scam to your bank or credit union and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Do banks and credit unions ask customers to verify account information via email or text?
No. According to the CFPB, banks and credit unions never ask for account information through email or text message.
If a message claims to be a bank representative and asks you to confirm an account number, password, or other sensitive information, treat it as an imposter scam — someone pretending to be your financial institution to steal from you.
Legitimate account activity alerts exist, but a real alert will not demand that you reply with personal details or log in through a link in the message. Knowing that distinction is the foundation for everything that follows.
What is phishing and how does the scam work?
Phishing is a common scam in which scammers send an email or text message that looks like it came from your bank or credit union. The goal is to steal your account information.
The message typically creates urgency — a claim of suspicious activity, a locked account, or a problem that requires you to act quickly. Urgency is the trick: scammers want you to respond before you think.
Why the links are dangerous
Links in these suspicious messages can take you to scammers’ malicious websites or give them access to your device. A fake site may look nearly identical to the real login page, and once you enter passwords there, the scammers have them.
That is why the CFPB’s guidance is absolute: never respond and never click links. The next question is who these messages tend to reach.
Who do these imposter scams target?
Everyone with a bank account is a potential target, because scammers blast these messages out broadly and wait for someone to take them at face value.
Here in Colorado Springs, where many households are managing military pay, allotments, and the financial churn of a PCS move, a text about “suspicious account activity” can feel urgent and plausible. Busy moments are exactly when phishing works best.
If you are mid-transaction on something big — a car, a home purchase, a wire transfer at closing — be extra skeptical. Scammers who can get into your account or trick you into sending money count on you being distracted. So what does the official guidance actually say?
What the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says
The CFPB addresses this question directly on its Ask CFPB page titled “I received an email and text from my bank or credit union asking me to verify my account information. What should I do?”
The CFPB’s answer: this may be a common scam, often referred to as phishing, to steal your account information. Banks and credit unions never ask for account information through email or text message.
The CFPB also points consumers to the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer alert page for more information on phishing scams, and notes that victims can report phishing to the FTC.
With the authority established, here is your action plan.
What to do if you receive a suspicious message
Step one: do not respond or click
Never respond to the message and never click links. Links can lead to malware, a fake site, or direct access to your device for the scammers.
Step two: contact your financial institution directly
Immediately contact your bank or credit union using a customer service number you get from a different source than the email or text — the back of your debit card, a statement, or the institution’s official website that you type in yourself.
Step three: report it
Report the message to your bank or credit union. If you feel you have been the victim of a phishing scam, you can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Reporting helps protect other consumers from the same fraud.
Red flags versus safe habits
| Red flag | Safe habit |
|---|---|
| Email or text asking you to verify account information | Remember: banks and credit unions never ask for this by email or text |
| Link to “log in” or “confirm” your account | Type the website address yourself or use the official app |
| Phone number provided inside the message | Call a number from a statement, your card, or another trusted source |
| Pressure to act quickly or threats of a locked account | Slow down and verify through the financial institution directly |
| Request for passwords or other sensitive information | Never share passwords in response to a message |
Keep that table handy — the pattern repeats across email, text, and even phone versions of the same scam.
How to protect yourself going forward
Build habits that make phishing fail. Only log in through the official website or app, and never through a link in a message.
When in doubt, pause. A genuine bank representative will not object to you hanging up and calling back on an official number. Scammers, threats, and fake urgency do not survive that pause.
Your next step
If a “verify your account” email or text is sitting in your inbox right now: do not respond, do not click, call your bank or credit union on a number from a trusted source, and report the message to the FTC.
And if you are a Colorado buyer heading toward a closing, stay alert to any message about your funds or account — verify everything by phone with people you already know. The team at 719 Lending is always glad to walk Colorado Springs borrowers through what legitimate loan communication looks like.
Frequently asked questions
Will my bank ever text me asking to verify my account?
No. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, banks and credit unions never ask for account information through email or text message. A message asking you to verify account details is a phishing scam.
What should I do if I clicked a link in a fake bank text?
Contact your bank or credit union immediately using a customer service number from a different source than the message, such as the back of your card or a statement. Links can lead to malicious websites or give scammers access to your device, so act quickly and report what happened.
How do I report a phishing scam?
Report the suspicious message to your bank or credit union right away, and report the phishing scam to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC also publishes consumer alerts about phishing on its website.
How can I tell a real bank alert from a scam?
A real alert will not ask you to reply with account information, passwords, or other sensitive details, and it will not pressure you to click a link to ‘verify’ your account. When in doubt, ignore the message and contact the financial institution directly through a number you trust.
Why do scammers send fake bank verification messages?
The goal is to steal your account information. Phishing messages impersonate your bank or credit union so you will hand over login details or click links that lead to fake sites or install malware, giving scammers access to your money.
719 Lending Inc., NMLS #1601989 · Equal Housing Opportunity
719 Lending Inc. is not affiliated with or endorsed by HUD, FHA, VA, USDA, CHFA, the CFPB, or any government agency.
Last updated: November 2026
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