By Jackson Godwin. Cybersecurity Analyst & Penetration Tester.
I Asked Him One Question
Instead of reading the CVV, I looked directly into the camera and asked:
“Can I hang up and call the bank using the number on the back of my card?”
For the first time during the conversation, he hesitated.
Only for a second.
Then he smiled and replied:
“That won’t be necessary. You’re already speaking with the Fraud Prevention Department.”
The answer sounded confident.
But it wasn’t reassuring.
If anything, it made me more suspicious.
He Became More Persuasive
Seeing that I wasn’t cooperating, he changed his approach.
Instead of sounding formal, he became more personal.
“Mr. Jackson, I’m trying to protect your account.”
“If we don’t complete this verification immediately, the fraudsters may succeed.”
Everything was designed to make me panic.
Not think.
Just obey.
The Video Was Almost Perfect
I watched him carefully.
The lighting looked natural.
His facial expressions matched his words.
His voice sounded human.
But occasionally I noticed small inconsistencies.
Sometimes:
- His lips didn’t perfectly match the audio.
- His blinking looked slightly unnatural.
- His face briefly became blurry when he turned his head.
- The video quality changed for a split second.
None of those signs alone proved it was fake.
Together, they made me uncomfortable.
I Decided to Test Him Again
I asked another simple question.
“What’s the name of my local branch manager?”
He smiled politely.
Then gave a vague answer.
“Our fraud department operates centrally, so that’s not relevant right now.”
I asked another question.
“Can you send me a secure message through the banking app?”
Again, he avoided the request.
Instead, he returned to the same topic.
“Let’s finish verifying your card first.”
That confirmed my suspicion.
He wasn’t interested in verifying me.
He wanted my credit card information.
I Ended the Call
Without saying another word, I ended the video call.
Within seconds, my phone rang again.
Same number.
I declined it.
A minute later, I received a text message.
“Your account remains at risk. Please continue the verification process immediately.”
I ignored it.
Instead, I opened my bank’s official mobile app.
Everything looked normal.
No fraud alerts.
No restrictions.
No urgent messages.
The Real Bank Confirmed My Suspicion
I called the official customer service number listed inside the app.
After verifying my identity, I explained everything.
The representative immediately told me:
- The bank had not called me.
- No fraud investigation had been opened.
- They never conduct credit card verification through unsolicited video calls.
- They would never ask for my CVV during a security call.
The person I had spoken to wasn’t a banker.
It was a cybercriminal using deepfake technology.
I Was Closer Than I Realised
The fraud investigator explained that deepfake scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
The technology doesn’t have to be perfect.
It only needs to look convincing long enough for victims to trust it.
And for a few minutes…
I almost did.
In the final part of this story, I’ll explain how deepfake banking scams work, reveal practical ways to recognise them, and share the simple security habit that can protect you—even when the person on your screen looks completely real.
Continue Reading: The Deepfake Banker Who Asked Me to Verify My Credit Card (Part 3)