WORDS TO KNOW
Social Engineering
The use of manipulation by a fraudster to trick people into making mistakes or giving away sensitive information.
Security Center
ARE YOU BEING SCAMMED?
Ask yourself these questions:
QUESTION 1
Is someone asking for my personal information?
Spoiler- it's probably a fraudster.
Examples include:
QUESTION 2
Is someone asking me to pay for something unexpected?
Hold your horses! It could be fraud.
Examples include:
HAVE YOU BEEN SCAMMED?
What to do next:
CAN YOU RECOGNIZE A SCAM?
Spot The Red Flags:
PHISHING FRAUD
Emails, Texts, & Calls
- Phishing emails, messages, and texts often have unnatural or illogical writing with mistakes.
- We will NEVER ask for sensitive information, including your card number, PIN, or three-digit CVV code. Also, we will never ask for any digital banking passwords or codes texted to your phone.
- Demands for urgent actions are red flags. Never reply with personal information like your password, PIN, or social security number.
PERSONA FRAUD
Online & Social Media
- Guilt-tripping, creating an intense sense of urgency, and gaslighting are all manipulation tactics used by fraudsters.
- Fraudulent online contests often have a promise of prize money for winning. If it's too good to be true, it's probably a fraud.
- Fraudsters will often coerce victims into payment transactions and requirements.
PERSON-TO-PERSON FRAUD
Payment & Marketplace Apps
- Fraudsters often use payment apps to "accidentally" send money and ask you to send the money back. Unfortunately, they most likely never sent the money at all.
- Fraudsters may impersonate financial institutions and alert you about "suspicious activity" on your account. They will then ask you to send money to the provided address to verify the account is not frozen.
- When using online marketplace platforms, scammers often try to influence you to perform a specific action, like texting a code to verify your identity. It's good practice to keep payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, or CashApp for friends and family only.
Popular Scams:
PHONE CALLS/TEXTS
Impersonation
The fraudster spoofs our phone number and pretends to be an employee of the Credit Union to solicit funds or sensitive information.
DATING SITES/APPS
Romance
The fraudster uses a fake persona in the form of a love interest to request money using manipulation tactics.
MARKET SITES/APPS
Seller/Buyer
The fraudster presents as an average seller/buyer but tries to change the exchange, such as altering the price, having issues with payment methods, and using different communication platforms.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Contest
This scam promises prize money for answering a question correctly. The fraudster reaches out for a prize payment method, usually through a person-to-person platform, and "accidentally" sends a higher amount but then requests the difference back.
EMAILS/TEXTS
Employment
Employment scams usually present as a remote position or independent contract that promises lucrative pay. The fraudster may ask you for training payments or sensitive information.
