Fraud Awareness

Fraud Message

Scammers may contact you to try to get personal information like your Social Security number or your account numbers. Protect yourself. Do not give out your personal information.

We warn our members to never give out personal information in response to an email, automated telephone inquiries, or text messages. The Fall River Municipal Credit Union will never contact you over the phone or via e-mail asking you to provide us with your; ATM/Debit Card number, personal identification numbers (PINs), login passwords, checking account information, or sensitive personal data.

Learn more about fraud, scams, identity theft, online security, and more ways to protect yourself by visiting Fraud Prevention Center | MyCreditUnion.gov

Scams

Common Scams to Look Out For:

Fake Check Scams

Scammers may tell you you’ve won something, or pretend to be from a well-known organization, like Social Security or the IRS. They may claim you have prize winnings (or something else) that they’ll send you a check for. Further claiming that it’s overpayment and then instructing you to deposit it and to return some of the funds to them or elsewhere – but beware, that check looks real but it’s fake! It will come back unpaid, and you will lose out on the money you sent them.

“If it’s too good to be true….it’s probably a fraud.” -Ron Weber

Social Media Scams

Scammers may contact you via social media sites and attempt to strike up a relationship. Their goal is to gain your trust over a period of time, create elaborate stories to make you believe they need your help and ask you for money.

Never respond to unsolicited texts or messages in social media. Never send money to a sweetheart or friend that you haven’t met in person.

Grandparent Scam

You may receive a call from someone who sounds like a grandchild or relative asking for money to get them out of trouble. Beware, it may not be them at all. Digital advancements in today’s world are making it easier for the bad guys to convince you that you’re speaking with a loved one by cloning their voices.

Hang up and independently contact the person who allegedly made the call for help to confirm.

Identity Theft

There are many resources available to help you protect your identity. The Federal Trade Commission is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of identity theft. They provide detailed information to help you Deter, Detect, and Defend against identity theft. While there are no guarantees about avoiding identity theft, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk and minimize the damage if a problem occurs.

If you think your identity has been stolen, here’s what to do:

1. Contact the fraud departments of any one of the three consumer reporting companies to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The fraud alert tells creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report.

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
www.equifax.com
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian: 1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com
P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
www.transunion.com
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

2. Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

3. File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.

4. File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline: 1-877-438-4338; TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.

For more information, please visit the Federal Trade Commissions Consumer web site

Elder Financial Exploitation

This can be described as the misuse, mishandling, or exploitation of property or assets of older adults, and is one of the most common forms of elder abuse.

Elder Financial Exploitation can be initiated by fraudsters, trusted professionals such as caregivers, or even family or close friends.

Tips for protecting yourself:

1. Do not accept calls from any person you do not know. Use call ID and don’t answer the phone if you don’t recognize the telephone number.
2. Never give out personal information in response to a text, email, or call from someone you don’t know.
3. Never send money to a stranger.

Resources and Reporting

If you fall victim to a scam or suspect your account information may be compromised, contact the Credit Union.