One of the easiest ways to keep your information safe is to only give it away when absolutely necessary. Don't ever be afraid to ask why someone is requesting your information. And always trust your gut. If you feel uncomfortable or if you're being pressured to share your information, walk away.
Phishers use SPAM, malicious websites, email messages, and instant messages to trick people into disclosing personal information. A phisher often pretends to be a legitimate company, sometimes using the company logo in the email.
We and other legitimate companies will never request your personal information via email.
If it seems like the person or company contacting you wouldn't reasonably need the information they're requesting, you should be suspicious of a potential a scam. Phisher's malicious websites can look very similar to legitimate sites because they frequently use copyrighted images from the legitimate sites.
Check the sender's email address and see if it matches the company they claim they're from. Fraudulent emails are often not personalized and contain misspelled words.
Don't click any links in a suspicious email. Mark the email as “Phishing” or “Spam” and delete the email immediately.
Another common tactic is social engineering. Victims of social engineering often don’t know what happened until their money or identity is already stolen. With this tactic, fraudsters may create a sense of urgency or pressure you to respond quickly.
The use of emotional language is usually used as a social engineering tactic. For example, a criminal might say they can get you a great deal on something if you pay them in advance. Once they get the money, however, you won't hear from them again. Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true or if it's illogical, just say no.
We have a powerful fraud monitoring system in place to help us monitor for suspicious activity on member accounts. To keep an extra eye on your information, you should monitor your accounts regularly with Online, Mobile, and Text Banking. If you see a transaction you don't recognize, don't panic. We're always here for you and we'll help you out.