Financial Schemes Involving Seniors and Vulnerable Adults
Social Security Scams: How to Protect, Report and Recover From Fraud
Tips for avoiding fraud, identity theft and financial scams
What Should I Do If I Become A Victim Of Identity Theft?
- Card Fraud
We want to remind everyone how stolen cardholder information is used to commit fraud. We have included tips below that you can use to keep your information safe — even when dealing with someone from PrimeSource Credit Union, or with someone you think is from PrimeSource.
Fraudsters have become increasingly adept at getting cardholders to share the information they need to commit fraud by posing as financial institution call center agents, or by sending text messages that look like they are coming from PrimeSource, warning of suspicious transaction activities. They are also known to call in to call centers posing as cardholders requesting changes to card information and parameters.
Fraudsters use information stolen through data breaches (at health insurance providers, reward program providers, credit bureaus, merchant terminals, and social media sites, to mention just a few recent ones) as well as through malware programs deployed on personal computers and other sources. Stolen personally identifiable information (PII) is combined with stolen card information, resulting in sufficient information to create profiles that fraudsters can use to position themselves as the actual cardholders.
Below are some guidelines we recommend to help you avoid compromising your personal information:
You may receive a text alert from our card monitoring service (Fiserv) warning of suspicious activity on your card. This text will NEVER include a link to be clicked, and therefore you should never click on a link in a text message that is supposedly from Fiserv. A valid notification from Fiserv will provide information about the suspect transaction and ask you to reply to the text message with answers such as ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘help’, or ‘stop,’ and will never include a link.
A text alert from Fiserv will always be from a 5-digit number, and NOT a 10-digit number resembling a phone number. Text caller IDs will be either 20733 or 37268.
A phone call from Fiserv’s automated dialer will only include a request for your zip code, and no other personal information, unless they confirm that a transaction is fraudulent. Only then will you be transferred to an agent who will ask questions to confirm your identity before going through your transactions.
If at any point you are uncertain about questions being asked or the call itself, please hang up and call PrimeSource directly. If you receive a call claiming to be the Fiserv call center and asking to verify transactions, no information should have to be provided by you, other than your Zip code and a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the transaction provided.
Fiserv will NEVER ask for the PIN or the 3-digit security code on the back of a card.
Posing as call center agents, fraudsters will often ask cardholders to verify fake transactions. When the cardholder says no, they did not perform those transactions, the fraudster then says that their card will be blocked, a new card will be issued, and that they need the card’s PIN to put on the new card. Many people believe this and provide their PIN.
Regularly check your account(s) online for suspicious transactions, but especially if you are unsure about a call or text message you have received. If anything looks amiss, call PrimeSource directly for assistance.
If you have received a voice or a text message from Fiserv’s fraud call center and are unsure about responding to it, call PrimeSource directly for assistance.
At PrimeSource Credit Union, it is our goal to continually strive to keep our member’s information safe. We are here for you, and to help you. Please let us know if you have any concerns, and thank you for being a valued member of PrimeSource Credit Union.
General Tips to Help Protect Yourself
Remember to monitor your credit reports to help determine any unauthorized creditors. You are entitled to one free credit report annually from each major credit bureau, visit annualcreditreport.com for more information.
There is an option through the credit bureaus to lock, sometimes referred to as a freeze, your credit report. This should prevent loans being taken out in your name, without your direct involvement. Please keep in mind there could be a fee to unlock your report. Please check with the credit bureaus for more information.
There is also an option to add a fraud alert through the credit bureaus. These are generally good for 90 days. Please check with the credit bureaus to ensure there is no cost to add the alert, or remove it.
Be extra cautious with all emails. It could appear to be a valid email, from a valid source. If there is any doubt, protect yourself and throw it out!
If you haven’t already, setup a code word on your PrimeSource CU membership, please contact us to do so, as we are always taking extra verification measures to protect you. And consider making that call to any other financial institutions you may have a relationship with.
As a member of PrimeSource Credit Union, if you suspect you may be a victim of a fraudulent or suspicious occurrence or activity, please contact us right away at (509) 838-6157 or toll-free at (800) 660-0444.