Internet/E-Mail Fraud Alert
There have been multiple e-mail fraud attempts, known as "Phishing,” that were initiated via e-mail and sent to both the general public and to some credit union members that appeared to be from NCUA.
This false e-mail asked for the recipient to click on a link to verify their credit union account registration. If the recipient proceeded to do so, the link directed them to a false website and asked for their credit union account number and PIN, along with other personal information.
NCUA does not ask credit unions members for such personal information. Anyone who receives an e-mail that purports to be from NCUA and asks for account information should consider it to be a fraudulent attempt to obtain their personal account data for an illegal purpose and should not follow the instructions in the e-mail. If you responded to such an e-mail and provided any confidential account information, please notify your credit union immediately of the scheme. You should also change your account’s PIN, and take any additional action recommended by your credit union to protect your account.
If you feel that you have received a fraudulent phishing e-mail purportedly from NCUA please forward the entire e-mail message to Phishing@ncua.gov. Additionally, you can file formal complaints concerning any suspected fraudulent e-mail with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) at http://www.ic3.gov. The IFCC is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center.
Scam Alert
The rapid growth of online commerce has led to Internet scams, including “phishing” and other methods of identity theft. Phishing works like this: Scammers send you what looks like a legitimate message from a reputable institution, or someone you know or trust. These email or pop-up messages usually are alarming, claiming that your account will be closed or suspended if action is not taken at that time; that your account needs verification; or that unauthorized transactions on your account are suspected and you need to confirm your identity.
NEVER ANSWER EMAIL MESSAGES THAT ASK YOU TO GIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION. These scammers attempt to get you to reveal personal sensitive information (Social Security number, user IDs, account numbers, etc.), and will use this data to forge your identity and steal from your accounts. MAFCU will NEVER ask you to reveal this kind of information by email. Do not respond to these kinds of e-mails from anyone regardless of how official they look. Click on this link http://www.unfcu.org/emailfraud.html for more information from NCUA. Anyone who has an email address can be a potential victim of phishing.
Here are a few ways to protect yourself:
- Never click on a link from email, even if it appears valid.
- Delete it immediately. If you are concerned that the message is real, call the company, or go to the company’s real website by typing in the address yourself. MAFCU will never ask you to reveal this kind of information by email.
- Do not respond to these kinds of emails from anyone regardless of how official they look.
- Install anti-virus software and a firewall, which helps to block communications from unknown places. It is also important to keep this software up-to-date.
- Review your financial and credit card statements when you receive them and check for suspicious charges.
- Be wary about opening any attachments, or downloading any files, from email, even if you know it’s legitimate.
- Keep yourself informed. Go to www.ncua.gov for more information from NCUA. The Federal Trade Commission has more information about identity theft scams at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
Here are some important phone numbers and contacts if you or someone you know is a victim of identity theft:
- Credit bureaus:
Experian 888-397-3742
Equifax: 800-525-6285
TransUnion 800-916-8800 - Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 877-FTC-HELP Social Security 800-269-0271
- Your Local Police
- U.S. Postal Service
- Registry of Motor Vehicles
Safeguard Against Identity Theft
The incidence of identity theft continues to rise, with more than 700,000 reports received each year. In fact, identity theft is the number one complaint received by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC recently unveiled an “identity theft affidavit.” This form simplifies the process of notifying credit card carriers, banks and other financial institutions that you’re a victim of fraud. To protect members from identity theft, MAFCU has implemented a strict Privacy Policy to ensure that confidential information disclosed by you to the Credit Union is restricted to only those employees who need this information to serve you better. It's important to periodically check your credit report to ensure that no new accounts have been opened in your name without your knowledge. Should you detect fraud, here’s what to do:
- Call the Identity Theft Clearinghouse toll-free at 1-877-ID-THEFT to report the crime.
- Contact the appropriate creditor or financial institution, as well as the police, and the police where your theft took place.
- Contact the three major credit bureaus and ask that your file be tagged with a “fraud alert” with no new credit granted without your approval. Call Equifax, 1-888-766-0008; Experian, 1-888-397-3742; and Trans Union, 1-800-680-7289.