Dirigo FCU › News & Updates › Recognizing & Avoiding Scams Recognizing & Avoiding Scams Fraudsters are always finding ways to lure members into disclosing their personal and financial information. While the style and type of information is constantly evolving, there are phishing scams that continue to affect credit unions and members. These scammers need your personal and financial information to put money into their pockets – regardless if the money comes from your savings, checking, or loan accounts. Time and again, scammers are successful in identifying and targeting the weakest link to enable this crime. The credit union industry continues to communicate the various types of phishing (email), smishing (text message), vishing (landline), VoIP (internet phones) and mail letter phishing scams, but these tactics are working because members continue to disclose their information. Bringing awareness to our members and educating them on the changing phishing landscape is critical to Dirigo FCU. Scams The following are techniques that fraudsters are using to capture members’ personal and financial information that you need to be aware of so you can protect yourself. Social Networks You should be wary of clicking any links in emails or accessing social networking sites for holiday themes. Holiday scams contain links that may redirect you to an indirect site registered by the fraudster. Prevention: Close your browser if you see a link to download or install an application. Call Forwarding In most cases, a prepaid cell phone is call forwarding your landline or cell phone number to another telephone. Prevention: Place a password on your telephone numbers to prevent them from being call forwarded. Text Messaging A text message is sent and you respond to the request. Prevention: Currently Dirigo FCU does not send text messages to members unless you have enrolled in a service that you have allowed for this. E-Alerts are notifications set up via home banking that allow for text message notifications, and Dirigo FCU Fraud Alerts are voluntary notifications set up via our card services department that allow for text message notifications regarding potential fraud on your debit card. System Intrusions Fraudsters are focused on phishing members to obtain account numbers, passwords and usernames to get into the home banking system. Prevention: Dirigo FCU has implemented multi-factor authentication to prevent fraudsters from gaining access to systems. You should monitor your transaction activity daily to help identify any unauthorized activity. Watch for unauthorized ACH or wire transfers, and never share your user names, passwords and any account information. Voice Vishing This scam attempts to trick you into providing personal and financial information over the phone. Most vishing scams begin with an email or text message asking you to call a toll-free number. When you call the number, you are led through a series of voice-prompted menus that ask for key financial information such as a card or member account information. Prevention: Do not call the telephone number. Rather, you should report this to the credit union and telecommunications carrier immediately. This number needs to be shut down to help prevent others from responding to the attack. Spoofing Caller ID This scam attempts to trick you into providing personal and financial information over the phone. Most vishing scams begin with an email or text message You receive a call from either a live person or a recorded message with a spoofed caller ID. The caller ID may list a legitimate looking telephone number. Fraudsters have spoofed caller ID systems or assign any area code to a phone number so it appears to be an 800 number or a local number. Prevention: You should never provide any personal or financial information to the caller. Always hang up and contact the credit union to report this activity. Dirigo FCU will not request personal or financial information from you via a telephone call.