EXCLUSIVE: How Newsman Matt Gutman Almost Had Life Savings Stolen by Phone Scammers
Matt Gutman nearly lost his life savings after swindlers targeted him in a sophisticated fraud scam.
July 30 2026, Published 6:00 a.m. ET
CBS News correspondent Matt Gutman admits he nearly fell for a massive financial scam in California when fraudsters phoned him in an attempt to get their mitts on his money, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Gutman said the sketchy business began with a call from someone claiming to work in his bank's "fraud protection" department, who identified herself by name, provided a badge ID and appeared to know his personal banking details.
Scammers Targeted Family's Bank Accounts
Matt Gutman said a fake bank fraud caller nearly tricked him into withdrawing his savings.
"They seemed to know so much about me, about my bank account," the newsman recalled. "And then they said, 'Listen, we suspect that there is significant fraud activity at the bank branch where you bank.' ...We went through all the accounts, and we actually had some suspicious activity recently in my daughter's account."
Then the caller presented a cockamamie plan to collar the so-called crooks.
"She gave me the names and then she said, 'What we need you to do, in order to intercept these fraudsters, is to go into the bank and withdraw everything from your bank account' – which wasn't that much money at this point – 'and take it with you so you have it in cash and that'll trigger the fraudsters into action. That's how we'll be able to catch them.' I thought, OK, that's a little weird," Gutman shared.
Broadcaster Realized It Was Scam
CBS News correspondent Gutman realized it was a scam after being told: 'Don't tell anyone at the bank.'
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"Why would you use a regular citizen for something that seems like a law enforcement issue? But I said, you know, OK, and I went in there, and she said, 'But you can't tell anybody at the bank that this is happening because they might be in on it.'"
The warning to keep bank employees in the dark set off serious alarm bells for the broadcaster and made him realize he was being bamboozled.
Gutman didn't follow the criminals' commands and believes he likely avoided a predatory robbery.
"Some of these scams are incredibly sophisticated with people who clearly know what they are talking about, and speak like they are in the profession," he said.
"I'm just blown away by how good that person was."
