Tioga State Bank Warns of “Phishing” Scam

Thousands of people have received scam text messages that were designed to appear they were sent from Tioga State Bank.

Many cellphone users in the Binghamton area received the messages on Saturday.

Tioga State Bank has issued a statement advising people not to respond to the text message.

Laura Ryan, the bank's information security officer, said scammers gained access to a list of phone numbers of both customers and non-customers from "an outside source unaffiliated with Tioga State Bank."

Ryan said the culprits used the bank's name to appear legitimate in an effort to convince people to respond. She said it's part of a "phishing" scam.

Those who receive such a message should not respond. Ryan suggested anyone who receives a phishing text to delete it and to block the number which sent the message.

People who did respond to the scam message should contact their bank immediately.

Ryan said Tioga State Bank's systems have not been compromised.