Joplin, Mo. — Arvest Bank is alerting its customers in Joplin and the surrounding Four States area about a rise in impersonation scams, urging vigilance as federal data reveals significant financial losses nationwide. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), U.S. residents reported losing a total of $3.5 billion to such schemes in 2025.
The FTC's data further indicates that nearly $1 billion of these reported losses involved scammers posing as businesses. Among all types of impersonation schemes, bank impersonators were responsible for the highest reported financial losses. These scams often create a false sense of urgency or panic, pressuring individuals into hasty decisions that bypass careful judgment.
Erin Gray, Arvest’s director of Fraud Risk Management, emphasized this tactic. “Scammers rely on creating a false sense of panic to bypass your better judgment,” Gray stated, advising customers to feel empowered to end suspicious calls. “We want our customers to feel empowered to simply hang up the phone.”
Arvest advises customers to be alert for callers or messages that demand immediate action, often under the guise of an urgent problem or threat. These fraudsters frequently request personal information, such as account numbers, passwords, or personal identification numbers (PINs). Another common tactic involves threatening arrest or legal action if the recipient does not comply with their demands immediately. Scammers may also request payment through unusual or non-standard methods, including gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency, which are difficult to trace.
A critical point of caution from Arvest is that caller ID cannot always be trusted. Scammers have the ability to "spoof" caller ID, making it appear as though a call is coming from a legitimate organization, even when it is not. Therefore, customers should not rely solely on caller ID to verify the identity of a caller. Furthermore, Arvest explicitly states that it will never ask customers to move money to a different account to protect it from fraud. This is a common tactic used by impersonators to gain access to funds.
For anyone who suspects they are being targeted by a scam, Arvest recommends immediately stopping communication with the caller or sender. The next step is to independently verify the contact by calling the bank directly using a trusted phone number. This number can typically be found on a debit card or a recent bank statement, ensuring the customer is reaching the genuine institution.
If a customer believes they have already been scammed, Arvest advises contacting their bank immediately to report the incident. Additionally, all instances of suspected or confirmed internet-related fraud should be reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, which can be accessed online at IC3.gov. Taking these steps can help mitigate further losses and aid in broader efforts to combat financial fraud impacting residents across Joplin and the wider region.
