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What to do if…
you get a bank alert about a new payee or device you did not authorise

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Do not approve anything, tap links, call numbers in the alert, or give out a code. Open your bank app yourself or call the number on the back of your card and ask the bank to secure the account before any money moves.

Do not do these things

  • Do not click links in the alert or call a number provided in the message.
  • Do not share one-time passcodes, verification codes, PINs, passwords, or security answers with anyone who contacted you.
  • Do not approve a new device, new payee, new recipient, wire, transfer, or peer-to-peer payment prompt unless you started it.
  • Do not move money to a “safe account” because a caller, text, email, or pop-up tells you to.
  • Do not keep texting, calling back, or replying to “figure it out”; switch to a verified contact route.
  • Do not reuse an old password after the bank has secured the account.

What to do now

  1. Pause the alert without interacting with it. Do not tap links, press approve, call the displayed number, or reply. If you are on a call about it, hang up.
  2. Contact your bank through a route you choose yourself. Open the bank app directly, type the bank’s website address yourself, or call the number on the back of your card. Say: “I got a new payee or new device alert that was not me. Please secure my account now.”
  3. Ask the bank to check the specific alert. Ask whether a new payee, recipient, device, phone number, email address, mailing address, password reset, transfer, wire, bill payment, or peer-to-peer payment was added or attempted.
  4. Ask for immediate lock-down actions. Ask the bank to freeze or limit online banking, cards, transfers, and payment features where possible; remove unrecognized payees or devices; sign out other sessions; and restore any changed contact details.
  5. Ask whether any money has moved or is pending. If you see a payment you do not recognize, say clearly that you did not authorize it. Ask whether it can be stopped, recalled, blocked, or disputed, and ask for a case or reference number.
  6. Tell the bank about any code or approval prompt. If you received a one-time code, device approval request, or payee approval request that you did not ask for, tell the bank because it may show how the account was being accessed.
  7. Protect the email and phone routes tied to the bank. Change the password on the email account connected to your bank, sign out other sessions if available, and turn on stronger sign-in protection. Then change your bank password if the bank says it is safe to do so.
  8. Write down the essentials. Record the time of the alert, what it said, any transaction IDs, the bank’s case number, and the protective actions the bank says it took.
  9. Move promptly if an electronic transfer, debit card, PIN, or online banking access may be involved. Prompt notice can matter for your rights and possible liability limits for unauthorized electronic transfers, so do not wait to see whether another alert arrives.
  10. Use official fraud and identity-theft routes if personal information may be involved. Use IdentityTheft.gov if you see new accounts, unfamiliar credit checks, changed personal details, or signs that someone is using your identity. Use ReportFraud.ftc.gov to report the scam attempt.
  11. Reduce the risk of new accounts in your name. Consider placing a credit freeze with each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. If you cannot do that today, you can place a fraud alert as an interim step, then check your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com for unfamiliar accounts or inquiries.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide today whether to close every account or switch banks unless your bank tells you that is needed to stop further loss.
  • You do not need to identify the scammer, argue with them, or keep messages going.
  • You do not need to post about it, warn everyone, or explain what happened before your account is secured.
  • You do not need to complete every identity-theft task before your bank takes immediate protective action.

Important reassurance

A new-payee or new-device alert can feel frightening because it suggests someone may be trying to get into your money. The useful next step is narrow: use a trusted route to reach the bank, stop any access or payment, and get a case number.

Scope note

These are first steps to prevent further loss and start an official record. Later decisions, including formal disputes, identity-repair steps, account closure, or complaints, may depend on the payment type and what your bank confirms.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or professional advice. Always use verified contact details, such as the bank app you open yourself, the bank website you type yourself, or the number on your card, not contact details in an unexpected message.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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