You will often get contact numbers for banks online or through other people, even on the back of your cards. How can one verify whether a number is genuine?
For it seems to me that it should be easy to send specific emails/voice messages saying call back on this number, but once you are on the call, there is really no verification of the dialed number, only the person calling.
What system could be devised to verify the receiving party is genuine as well, as they can easily fake a verification system for your responses, and testing them by telling incorrect information seems like shooting yourself in the foot, as it might get you locked out of your own account?
I know the current method of ensuring correct numbers is dialing the number at the back of your card, or from your statement, or from bank's website, but I am sure all that information can be modified in some way or other.
To add a bit to the discussion -
Over the phone, all you hear is a person talking, and they can be persuasive, regardless of if they are genuine or not, that's why most scams work on the telephone, as there no other indicators of authenticity.
Whereas online, you can see the SSL symbol, verify the domain name, and see their branding ...etc (admittedly this all can be duplicated as well, but is not at the same level of ease as duplicating a call script and a person).
At a branch - again you have the branding, and public visibility, professional staff (more than one, in a decent branch). These are legally protected as well from duplication.
Sophisticated phishing attacks have successfully used a combination of these to trick end-users. Usually incoming calls are the chief suspect, but outbound calls could also be tricked is my guess. The reason i posted this question, was I got a similar incoming call from the fraud department and asked to verify with PIN, and I wasn't sure even after calling the legitimate number.