Protecting Yourself from Fraud

Every year scammers and identity thieves steal billions of dollars from unsuspecting consumers. Some fraudsters steal information, while others convince consumers to willingly provide their information. Learning how to spot common scams and protecting your information can prevent you from becoming a victim.

Recognizing fraud is the first step in stopping a scammer. Here are some signs to watch out for.

Scammers may:

• Pretend to be from an agency or organization you know or are familiar with
• Use a made up problem to scare you into acting
• Create a sense of urgency to pressure you into acting immediately
• Instruct you to pay in a specific way
• Offer you a deal that seems too good to be true

Helpful tips to Remember:

• If the call is coming from a company or organization you are familiar with, hang up and call back using a phone number from a verified website
• Do not click links or open attachments from unknown sources
• Do not make any payments using a method that is hard to trace. These include gift cards, prepaid debit cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, money transfers, or by mailing cash
• Be skeptical of anyone asking for personal information on a call, email, or text message that you did not initiate
  

tips to stay proactive in protecting your data:

• Download the free Credit Union West app* to monitor your account and credit report, and to set up alerts to notify you of transactions
  
• Create unique usernames and passwords for all your accounts and financial relationships
• When creating passwords, don't use your pet's name, your birthday, or anything that can be found on your social media pages. 
• Keep your computer and mobile devices' software up to date
  
• Always lock your computer and other devices when you are not using them

Please be aware, Credit Union West will never ask for sensitive information like your social security number, account number, debit card PIN or passwords through an unsolicited call, text, email, or message through social media. If this should ever happen to you, please call our Member Contact Center at 1-800-621-0287.

You can stay up to date on scams by subscribing to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Scam Alerts.