How to avoid being scammed

Scam artists will often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of a legitimate company or government agency by sending out a message via phone, email, or text message trying to obtain confidential information. The phony message may instruct the recipient to submit personal information such as an account number, card numbers, and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), and often under a guise as simple as “to keep your account current.”

The following information is very important to know in order to avoid being scammed:

• All financial institutions already have your information and would never ask for it.
• Keep your passwords and PINs completely private. Your financial institutions will never call or email you asking for confidential information.
• Never respond to requests for personal information if you aren’t sure it’s with a legitimate organization. Don’t depend on Caller ID to identify a business, even Fox Communities Credit Union. Fraudsters often spoof phone numbers.
• Never share or give out your account number, Social Security number, or any other personal information when replying to email, text message, or phone call.
• Don’t give your own or your deceased loved one’s personal or financial information to anyone who contacts you out of the blue.
• Do not share your Online/Mobile banking credentials with anyone. This information doesn’t need to be provided to anyone in order to deposit into your account.
• Block unwanted calls and text messages.
• Review your financial statements monthly and check your accounts often on Fox Communities Credit Union online services.

You can also protect yourself from SMS security risks by following these simple guidelines:

• Check text messages for Fox Communities Credit Union’s unique short code, the “return address” phone number that identifies official messages. Don’t respond to messages that claim to be Fox Communities Credit Union but come from different or unlisted numbers.
• Delete texts from Fox Communities Credit Union after reading them to keep information about your account out of the wrong hands in case your phone is stolen.
• Look out for spelling and grammar mistakes, like improper capitalization, misused words, double space errors, or “off” sentences.
• Check if the message is even relevant or solicited. If you didn’t enter a contest or weren’t expecting a package, it’s best to ignore any related messages and delete them.
• Don’t click links to unsolicited messages, as many scams include an unsecure link designed to steal personal information and spread malware. Avoid clicking at all costs, it’s best to err on the side of caution. If it’s from a company you do business with, contact them using a website you know is trustworthy or look up their phone number and call them directly.

Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell a friend, a family member, a neighbor, or your local Fox branch team members what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.

The best defense against scams is to say “NO” if anyone contacts you by phone, email, or text message.

Call Member Services if you have any questions about a Fox Communities Credit Union solicitation you received at (920) 993-9000.

Additional Resources

• Federal Trade Commission
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
• Balance Financial Fitness Program
• CU*Secure