Scam Alert

Tis the season for scammers to look for financial information.  Here are a few of the approaches we are seeing:

1. You have a problem on your computer, click here to fix it…
2. Caller-ID spoofing: There has been increased volume of fraudsters spoofing credit union phone numbers and impersonating employees. Their intent is to obtain your personal identification and account information to steal your identity and/or money. If you receive a call from a financial institution or any other caller asking for your personal identification or account information – HANG UP. This is most likely an impostor fraudulently representing a legitimate business. To validate or report the call, contact the business by calling the number you have on file, not the number the caller/fraudster provides you.
3. Romance Scams - check out this story from AARP. 
4. Money mule scams. If you help a scammer move stolen money — even if you didn’t know it was stolen — you could get into legal trouble. Read the FTC article here 
5. Delivery phishing scams.  In addition to e-mail, this season one of the biggest advances in scams are targeting mobile phones via text messages.  You receive a text message about a scheduled delivery.  Clicking on it brings you to a very official looking website for a major carrier (there is currently a UPS version of the scam).  By clicking on the link you have provided access to the information stored on your phone.
6. Fake check, direct deposit and work from home arrangements.  Remember a check can come back long after the credit union has made the money available to you.  And while a direct deposit may credit your account, many of these scams are using your account to falsely enroll in government benefits that the government will eventually look to get back. 
7. Scammers are still taking advantage of fears that surround COVID-19. For helpful tips please visit the Federal Trade Commission's COVID-19 Scam Page for what types of scams to be on the lookout for during these times. Check back to the FTC's page for continuous updates and what the FTC is doing to help. 

While the scams keep advancing the same protection rules hold true.  Unless you know a message (phone, voicemail, pop-up, email, text) is authentic do not proceed.  Instead hang-up/delete and go to the official way to contact the company such as calling them directly, their website or their app to check on your account.  Unless you initiated a purchase you shouldn’t need to give out your debit card or financial information.  (However keep in mind these new scams are trying to gain access to your computer or phone to simply take your information.)

If you have a question ask us.  If you receive instructions on how to negotiate a check or explain a transaction, inform us.  If you realize you may have given out account/personal information or had an unauthorized access of your computer or phone, tell us.