SALEM, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline received a surge of complaints Monday about telephone calls from an entity claiming to be from the Bank of the Cascades.

The caller is telling consumers that their bank records have been compromised and that they need to verify the consumer's bank account number. The Attorney General warns that this is a phishing scam.

Attorney General John Kroger says you should never provide your bank account number over the phone or by email. Kroger says no legitimate financial institution will call you and ask you for your bank account number or other sensitive financial information. He also says the scammers are trying to trick consumers into turning over their bank account numbers so they can empty the bank account.

The Consumer Hotline has received more than 20 telephone calls from Central Oregon about this scam. They say at least one consumer lost $515 immediately after providing their bank account number.

Anyone who thinks they have been approached by a scammer should call the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline at 1-877-877-9392.