Fraud alert of the day:

How to protect yourself from a scam

Here at Grand Trunk (BC) EFCU, we offer many services that can help you keep your finances safe.

Our online banking/mobile app services provide e-statements, bill pay, P2P, e-alerts, activity alerts, card controls, and so much more. These services are designed to help you manage your finances securely by allowing you to monitor your account and easily lock or unlock your debit/credit cards. Turning on your activity alerts helps protect you against fraudulent transactions by sending you a notification on your phone when activity occurs on your cards. Don’t forget to check your statements and review all activity on your account monthly.

If you suspect fraud, please contact us immediately at 269-965-1381.

Tech Support Scams

Tech support scams are when you get a call, or a have a message pop up on your electronic device that states you have been infected. They tell you they need to gain remote access to your computer or to call them immediately. If they call you, HANG UP immediately. They will convince you that you need them to help you. As soon as you allow them access to your device, they now have all of the information on your computer, including online banking information, search history, and all your passwords.

What to do if they have already gained access to your device:

• Immediately unplug the device (and leave it unplugged)
• Take your device to a certified technician and have them run a virus scan.
• If you are on the phone with them, HANG UP. (If they try to call you back multiple times, DO NOT ANSWER).

Impersonator Scams

Impersonator scams are when a fraudster pretends to be a trusted source such as a business, the government, your financial institution or even a friend or family member. They pretend to be these people to gain information from you. This type of scam can come in many different forms. Imposters may call, text, email, or even knock on your door to convince you they are who they say they are. Most of the time they know minor details about you so they can earn your trust and try to get more information from you.

For example, an impersonator calls you pretending to be from your financial institution. They may ask you if you did a transaction and when you say no, they will ask you for your account number or full card number. They may even know the last 4 digits of your card. If this happens, immediately hang up. If you think it could be legitimate, call a verified phone number for the company or financial institution. Never EVER give out your personal information to someone you do not know. Information like your social security and account numbers should never be shared with anyone. If the situation seems “off” or fishy, IT PROBABLY IS!

Click Bait Scams

Clickbait is content on the Internet whose main purpose is to attract attention. Their goal is to get you to click on the link attached. This type of scam is very popular on social media platforms, i.e. Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Most of the time these click bait scams appear to be an ad showing a super sale, or something you might want to buy. DO NOT CLICK ON THESE LINKS. Most of the time these links go to a fraudulent page that may look like the website, but they want you to enter your banking information. Some of the links download malware on your computer, phone, or tablet. Go to the official website. If there truly is a sale it will be on the website.

Some simple key things to remember are to remain vigilant and skeptical whenever you are debating on clicking a link, opening an attachment or receiving a call. Never EVER give out your personal information to someone you do not know. Information like your social security and account numbers should never be shared with anyone. If the situation seems “off” or fishy, IT PROBABLY IS!

What is a scam and how to avoid it

A scam is a dishonest scheme to gain money or possessions from someone fraudulently.

These can appear in many different forms:

• Tech support scams
• Impersonator scams
• Gift card scams
• Click bait scams
• Smishing texts
• Phishing emails
• Romance scams

These are just some of the different ways these scammers try to manipulate people into what they want. In almost all the above examples the scammers want to obtain information like name, social security number, banking information, and personal information. The scammer may get pushy or try to tell you it must be done now, when this happens hang up immediately.

The best way to avoid these types of scams is to immediately hang up if they call. If you think it could be legitimate, call a verified phone number for the company or financial institution. Never EVER give out your personal information to someone you do not know. Information like your social security and account numbers should never be shared with anyone. If the situation seems “off” or fishy, IT PROBABLY IS!

Categorized in: Featured, Fraud Alerts, News