|
Alerts:
If you are a victim of the following, notify the Credit Union!
CUNA Mutual alerts credit unions of this risk. Please pass this information on to all appropriate
employees. If your credit union has experienced a loss, contact our Credit Union Protection Response Center at 1-800-637-2676.
Details:
A recent phishing e-mail appearing to be from the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), is targeting consumers',
and their fear of security relating to the recent TJX Companies data breach. The false e-mail discusses
the TJX Companies data breach, which was made public in January. The breach incidents spanned periods from 2003 through 2006.
The phish e-mail gives the wrong dates for the breach and says Visa notified NCUA in January about the breach.
The notice warns that "magnetic strip information was being stored and your PIN may have been captured" and "strongly"
urges NCUA's "members" to update their information within the next 48 hours.
This false e-mail asked for the recipient to click on a link to verify their credit union account registration. If the
recipient proceeded to do so, the link directed them to a false website and asked for their credit union account number and
PIN, along with other personal information.
If you responded to such an e-mail and provided any confidential account information, please notify your credit union immediately
of the scheme. You should also change your account’s PIN, and take any additional action recommended by your credit
union to protect your account.
Loss Prevention Recommendations:
If you receive an unsolicited e-mail alleging to be from the NCUA, take the following steps:
-
Remind your members that NCUA does not ask credit union members for personal account information.
-
Anyone who has received a fraudulent phishing e-mail purportedly from NCUA should forward the entire e-mail message to
Phishing@ncua.gov. -
Do not open any attachments to the e-mail, in case they contain malicious code that will infect your computer.
-
If you have received this, or a similar hoax, please file a complaint at www.ic3.gov. -
Educate your membership on “Phishing."
-
Post “phishing warnings” on your web site, in newsletters, and in your lobby.
-
Post a warning on your credit union's web site that you will never solicit personal/private information via e-mail.
-
-
Consumers can take interactive quizzes designed to enlighten them about identity theft, phishing, spam and online-shopping
scams.
-
Elsewhere on the site, consumers can find detailed guidance on how to monitor their credit histories, use effective
passwords and recover from identity theft.
-
If members are victims of a "phishing email," take appropriate steps to help protect them.
-
-
If you have been victimized by a spoofed e-mail or web site, you should contact your local law enforcement, US Postal
Inspector, or FBI.
____________________________________________________________
The Federal Trade Commission released a survey showing that 27.3 million Americans have been victims of identity
theft in the last five years, including 9.9 million people in the last year alone. According to the survey,
last year’s identity theft losses to businesses and financial institutions totaled nearly $48 billion
and consumer victims reported $5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses.
What is identity theft?
When someone uses your personal information such as name, birth date, address, Social Security number, credit union account
number, credit card number, or other identifying information without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft. For exampe,
the open credit cards, bank accounts, auto loans aand phone services in your name.
How can I tell if I'm a victim of identity theft?
- Failing to receive bills or other mail.
- Receiving credit cards for whcih you did not apply.
- Denial of credit for no apparent reason.
- Receiving call from debt collectors or companies about merchandise or services you didn't purchase.
If you are a Victim of Identity Theft:
If you think that your personal information has been used to commit fraud or theft, take action immediately, and keep a
record of your conversations and correspondence. Use the links below to find out what you can do to take action on identity
theft.
Call us at 908-351-7770 immediately so we can protect your accounts at the credit union.
To Report Fraud:
Call 1-800-680-7589 and write:
Fraud Victim Assistance Division
PO Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92634
|
