New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers of a scam that gives scammers access to bank and retirement accounts. The scam, known as the “Phantom Hacker,” usually occurs in three phases, where each phase builds on the last phase to create a convincing scenario for victims. First, victims receive a text, call, or email claiming that their account was hacked, and they are instructed to contact a customer support phone number. Once individuals contact the scammers, they are instructed to download a software program that allows the hackers access to their computer. Then, to convince the victims that this is a legitimate process, the victims receive two separate calls from scammers impersonating their bank and a government agency. Since 2024, scammers using these coordinated attacks have been able to steal over $1 billion from victims who were nearing or over their retirement age. Attorney General James is providing New Yorkers with tips on how to protect themselves from this scam.