Fraud & Security
News, Events, Resources, Tools & Advice
Fraud Resources
Reporting Fraud Internet Crime Center (ic3) – This bureau is run by the FBI. Consumer reports assist them to investigate complex financial white collar and cyber-crimes. You’ll need to complete this step before contacting the credit reporting agencies. Federal Trade Commission – In addition to its fraud reporting function, this website also contains helpful information to help consumers avoid scams. … Continue reading
Phishing Emails
Phishing emails are still going strong because they still continue to work. Evolving technology, such as Chat GPT, makes them more believable and less error-prone. Successful email scams play on emotions to get you to send money or information. Joy (you’ve won something!) Fear (your bank account is locked and you must update your information) Desire to help others (Donate … Continue reading
Con Games Work
Sometimes, we have to be reminded that con artists – especially those using advanced technology – thrive because they win people’s trust. It’s right in the name. CON stands for confidence. Americans generally try to be helpful and friendly – just the sort of people con men (and women) are looking for. It’s possibly time to increase our wariness level … Continue reading
Imposter Fraud
Imposter scams are the second most prevalent type of financial fraud. They come in many varieties but operate the same way – a scammer pretends to be someone you trust to convince you to send them money. Perhaps you’ve heard of the grandchild scheme. Like many fraud attempts, this one usually happens late at night or during the weekend. You … Continue reading
Phone Pirates Are on the Loose
Don’t Walk the Financial Plank On a regular basis, fraudsters call local residents and identify themselves as members of the ATFCU Fraud Team (or some similar name). They use spoofing software to make it appear that the calls come from our main phone number, 325-677-2274. If you answer, you are told that a suspicious transaction has been charged to your … Continue reading
Anatomy of a Text Scam
Spoofed text scams now circulate almost constantly. A sample is shown here. The fraudster wants you to become alarmed and click on the supplied blue link. Once you do so, you will be transferred to a page which will request personal information such as your Social Security Number, your online banking credentials or the last 8 numbers on your debit … Continue reading
Scam Texts – Beware of Weekends
Fraudsters consider weekends prime time because they know that most people are relaxed and not quite as vigilant as they are during the work week. This particular scam has circulated at least twice. Since many people buy online, the scammers assume that tem-sw.com sounds generic and they might be able to fool you. When a recipient taps on the link, … Continue reading
How to Spot a Counterfeit Bill
As printers and software have gotten more sophisticated, counterfeit money has gotten harder to spot. Check out this blog post for ways to determine if the bill you were just given is legit. If you’re passed a fake bill, get info about the passer, keep the bill safe and call the police. Continue reading
Fighting Identity Theft
Equifax, America's largest credit reporting agency, reported an enormous data breach in September 2017. More than 143 million Americans had their personal data compromised. Stolen information included names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and, in some cases, driver's license numbers. Continue reading