3 example scams to be aware of!

3 Example Scams – What to Beware Of!

Compromised Accounts Scam

Identity thieves are sending Spam that warns victims that their Credit Union/Bank account or PayPal accounts were supposedly compromised. In phishing emails there is a link to a website that looks like the official sites to your financial institution or PayPal that you are asked to click on. In vishing emails there is a phone number that you are asked to call to verify account details. Because of advanced technology, thieves are able to make things look and sound legitimate. Please remember that as your Credit Union, we will never contact you asking for confidential information. If you receive any request to furnish personal information in an email or by calling a phone number unknown to you, please contact that company directly or log onto their website by typing in their web address. If you ever have any questions or just don’t feel right about any emails or phone calls regarding NAPUS FCU, please be sure to contact us at our toll free number 1-800-336-0284.

Customer Service Survey Scam

Another phishing scam operates in the disguise of a customer survey and promises a reward for filling out the survey. In one of the newest scams, a clever customer survey promises $50 for just answering a few questions. The catch is you have to give your account information in order to get the cash. If you click on the survey and answer the questions, simply exit the site when personal information is requested. The thieves are counting on the public’s love of getting something for free. Any legitimate company conducting a survey will not ask for your account information or Social Security number. You are the winner of… Scam Scams can also come to you directly over the phone. If you get a call that you have won money or that you have some inheritance coming to you and they are urging you to call right away to collect, be careful. Again, they are banking on the fact that everybody loves to win money and want you to call the contact number. This scam can be a live person or even an automated message. If a phone number or company name is given, be sure to do some research on them. Do a reverse lookup of the phone number in the Yellow Pages, go to websites like the Better Business Bureau to see if a company name is part of their database, or Google the company.

Jury Duty Scam

Who would have thought that someone could use the idea of jury duty as a scam, but that is exactly what they are doing. Someone calls pretending to be a court official claiming that because you didn’t show up for your jury duty there is a warrant out for your arrest. Once you claim that you never got a summons to report for jury duty, they ask you for your Social Security Number and date of birth with the intention of verifying the information and canceling the warrant for your arrest. The scammer sounds so official that you never think to question it. According to the FBI website, the judicial system does not contact people by phone to ask for personal information!