CUMMING, Ga. — A Forsyth County couple said crooks stole $32,000 from their Fidelity account, and all they needed was a six-digit authentication code.
Debra Neal told Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray that it appears the criminals already had her banking and personal information.
Fidelity told her while she was on the phone with someone posing as Fidelity fraud protection, an accomplice was on the line with the real Fidelity posing as Debra Neal.
“She said I have some relatives in Florida who were in Hurricane Helene, so I’m going to transfer some money into their accounts. And that’s what they did,” Neal said.
Neal said she got a call from someone claiming to be Fidelity saying her account had been compromised.
The Neals have a credit card and banking and investment accounts with Fidelity.
The person posing as Fidelity told Neal all they needed was the six-digit code being texted to her to confirm her identity.
“It came through on my phone, on my Fidelity thread. So, then I went ahead, and I gave him the six numbers,” Neal said.