Phishing Scams Do's & Don'ts for Credit Union Members

 

Phishing is a scam where fraudsters use the internet or telephone to send spam, pop-up or text messages to lure personal and financial information from unsuspecting victims.  To avoid getting hooked:

• Don't reply to email or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information and don't clink on any links contained within the message.  Don't cut and paste a link from the message into your web browser.  Phishers can make links look like they take you to one site but that actually send you to a different site.
  
• Don't reply to any text messages that ask for personal of financial information.  Don't call the phone number that the text message asks you to call.
  
• Some scammers send an email or text message that appears to be from a legitimate businesses and ask you to call a phone number to update your account.  Because they use Voice over Internet Protocol Technology (VOIP), the area code you call does not reflect where the scammers really are.  If you need to reach an organization you do business with, call the number on your statement or on the back of the credit card.
  
• Use anit-virus and anti-spyware software as well as a firewall and update them regularly.
  
• Don't email or text personal or financial information.
  
• Review credit card and financial account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges.
  
• Be cautious about opening any attachment or download any files from emails you receive.
  
• Forward phishing emails to spam@uce.gov and to the company, financial institution or organization impersonated in the phishing email.  You also may report phishing emails to reportphishing@antiphishing.org.  The Anti-Phishing Work Group, a consortium of ISP's, security vendors, financial institutions and law enforcement agencies, use these reports to fight phishing.
  
• If you've been scammed, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft wesite at ftc.gov/idtheft.