Security Awareness What is happening: Just recently, members and non-members of State Highway District #5 Credit Union are being scammed. It is important to note that State Highway District #5 Credit Union (or any reputable company) would not use text messaging, e-mails, or phone calls to request that you supply personal or account information. If you happen to receive such a message please ignore it and do not respond to or click on links provided. PHONE CALLS - the latest phone scam comes from an automated voice that states the member's account has been closed due to unusual activity or their ATM/Debit Card has been deactivated. The member is then told to provide sensitive account information. TEXT MESSAGE - the text scam states that accounts need verified due to unusual activity and the potential victim is urged to call the number provided or visit a website. These fraudulent text messages are being received by both members and non members of the Credit Union. State Highway District #5 Credit Union does not use text messaging to contact members. EMAIL - a recent scam to hit our area is an email from scammers posing as the Credit Union's President. In the email, the scammers urge Credit Union members to contact a phone number to reactive their debit card. What the scammers are doing: Thieves often use computer software that can randomly dial phone numbers, either through the Internet or using a special phone. Once scammers know the telephone prefixes for a particular area, they can send messages specific to that region pretending to represent a well known company, such as State Highway District #5 Credit Union. Obviously, they’ll hit several numbers that don't exist and/or that don't accept text messages, but they are gambling on the odds that they will hit many live numbers – and that some of those people will actually do business with the company they are falsely representing. Please share this information with your friends and family. It’s only when all consumers are fully educated to never give out their personal or account information that we will put these crooks out of business. Remember you can access your account 24 hours a day with Home Banking or Audio Response (509) 469-3655 or (800) 336-3815 to check account history. For even more peace of mind, you can check your credit report annually @ Free Annual Credit Report. Phishing Alert! With internet and computer capabilities increasing on what seems to be a daily, if not, hourly basis, consumers need to protect themselves against another perpetrator out to steal your identity. They’re called “phishers” (pronounced ‘fishers’) and they’ll stop at nothing to trick you into giving up your personal information. Here’s how it works: An email arrives in your “inbox” from a local provider of a service you already use (ie: Verizon Phone Services). The subject line will say something like “your account needs verification”, or “important information about your account”. When you open the email, you’ll see icons that Verizon actually uses in their website that leads you to believe you are truly being contacted by Verizon. You’ll be asked to click on a link that will take you to a site to address the so called “problem” with your account. However, it’s not the real Verizon site you’re being taken to, it’s actually the phisher’s site. Clicking on the link means they’ve hooked you and are ready to reel you in. Answering the very personal information they ask you for, (banking account number, ATM card number, personal identification number, etc.), means you’ve just been caught. Here are a few tips you can use to prevent such an attack: Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited request. Never provide your password over the phone or in response to an unsolicited request. Review your account statements regularly to ensure all charges are correct. Remember, the Credit Union will NEVER ask for your personal information – we’ve already got it, why would we need you to tell us what it is? There is a brochure available from the National Credit Union Administration that goes into further detail on how you can prevent being caught up in a phishing attack. Go to http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/FraudAlert/Phishing.aspx for more information. If you’ve already been the subject of a phishing attack, you can file a formal complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov. You work too hard for your money – don’t get caught in this game – protect your assets! Free Credit Report Early detection is the best way to help prevent identity theft and minimize possible fraudulent losses. Federal law requires that credit reporting agencies give you access to what they have on file that has been reported about you. This allows you the opportunity to clear up any misreported information or see if anything out of the ordinary is being reported about you. AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to help consumers obtain their free credit report once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You may request your free credit report online at www.AnnualCreditReport.com, or by phone 1-877-322-8228 or through the mail at Annual Credit Report, PO Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You can fight identity theft by monitoring and reviewing your credit report regularly.