Bay Federal Credit Union wants to remind you to follow safe online practices. There are many scams designed to steal your identity and your money. Bay Federal Credit Union and other financial institutions will never send you directly to an application form or a web page asking for your personal account data, including credit card and PIN information.
As a safe practice, when you have requested a secure page within a website, please be sure to check the URL or web address to ensure it matches the official domain name of that organization. For easy verification, most browsers will show a lock symbol indicating a secure site.
We’ve collected some very valuable information for you to learn how to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft. If you ever become concerned about the safety and security of your accounts or personal identification information, be sure to contact us immediately at 831.479.6000 or 888.4BAYFED.
Internet scammers casting about for people’s financial information have a new way to lure unsuspecting victims: they go “phishing.”
Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with – for example, your internet service provider (ISP), credit union, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to “update” or “validate” your account information. It might threaten some dire consequences if you don’t respond. The message directs you to a website that looks just like a legitimate organization’s site, but it isn’t. The purpose of the bogus site? To trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name.
The FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency, suggests these tips to help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam:
- If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company’s correct web address. In any case, don’t cut and paste the link in the message.
- Don’t email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization’s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have even forged security icons.
- Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to determine whether there are any unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your financial institution or credit card company to confirm your billing address and account balances.
- Use anti-virus software and keep it up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge. Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting these unwanted files.
- Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them.
You can report suspicious activity to the FTC. If you get spam that is phishing for information, forward it to spam@uce.gov. If you believe you’ve been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC’s Identity Theft web site at www.consumer.gov/idtheft to learn how to minimize your risk of damage from ID theft. If you have given away personal or financial information, take steps to protect your identity now at http://www.antiphishing.org.
"Smishing," which is phishing using SMS messaging, sends a text message to your cell phone urging you to go to a spoofed website where you are prompted to provide your account information such as PINs or passwords. Numerous credit unions across the country have been targets, and some smishing attempts include a phone number to call where you are asked to reveal personal information to an automated system.
If you are “smished,” it is important that you never reply to requests for personal information. Always call Bay Federal if you are concerned about the legitimacy of a text, phone or email message you receive. Suspicious activity should also be reported to the FTC. If you have been scammed, you may file a complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC’s Identity Theft web site at www.consumer.gov/idtheft to learn how you can minimize risk of damage from ID theft.
If you have inadvertently given away personal or financial information, you may take steps to protect your identity now at http://www.antiphishing.org.
In a new twist, identity thieves are sending spam that warns victims that their credit union, bank account or PayPal accounts were supposedly compromised. However, unlike typical phishing emails, there is no website address in these phishing messages. Instead, the victim is urged to call a phone number to verify account details.
The automated voice message says: "Welcome to account verification. Please type your 16-digit card number." The goal is to get the victim to enter their credit card number. In these reported scams, no mention of the credit union, bank or PayPal is made.
Security experts tracking this scam and other instances of "vishing", short for "voice phishing", say the frauds are particularly despicable because they imitate the legitimate ways people interact with financial institutions. In fact, some vishing attacks don't begin with an e-mail. Some come as calls out of the blue, in which the caller already knows the recipient's credit card number. This increases the perception of legitimacy, the caller asks for the valuable three-digit security code on the back of the card.
Vishing appears to be prospering with the help of Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, the technology that enables cheap and anonymous Internet calling, as well as the ease with which caller ID boxes can be tricked into displaying erroneous information.
- Never call a number you receive from a spam email, and certainly don't enter in any private information if you make a mistake and do call. If you want to call your financial institution, use the normal phone number you regularly use, not the phone number you get in an e-mail.
- Bay Federal Credit Union and other legitimate financial institution e-mail messages will not directly link you to an online application.
- Never click on the link provided in an e-mail you believe is fraudulent.
- Do not open an attachment to an unsolicited e-mail unless you have verified the source.
- Do not be intimidated by an e-mail or caller who suggest dire consequences if you do not immediately provide or verify information.
- If you believe the contact is legitimate, go to the company’s website by typing in the site address directly or using a page you have previously book marked, instead of a link provided in the e-mail.
- Visit the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) website, www.onguardonline.gov. You can take interactive quizzes designed to enlighten them about identity theft, phishing, spam and online-shopping scams. Elsewhere on the site, you can also find detailed guidance on how to monitor your credit history, use effective passwords and recover from identity theft.
Tip 1 - Where possible, use ATMs with which you are most familiar. Alternatively, choose well-lit, well-placed ATMs where you feel comfortable.
Tip 2 - Avoid opening your purse, bag or wallet while in the queue for the ATM. Have your card ready in your hand before you approach the ATM.
Tip 3 - Be especially cautious when strangers offer to help you at an ATM, even if your card is stuck or you are experiencing difficulty with the transaction. You should not allow anyone to distract you while you are at the ATM.
Tip 4 - Stand close to the ATM and shield the keypad with your hand when keying in your PIN.
Tip 5 - Keep your printed transaction record so that you can compare your ATM receipts to your monthly statement.
Tip 6 - Do not be in a hurry during the transaction, and carefully secure your card and cash in your wallet, handbag or pocket before leaving the ATM.
Tip 7 - Memorize your PIN (if you must write it down, do so in a disguised manner and never carry it with your card).
Tip 8 - Never disclose your PIN to anyone.
Tip 9 - Do not use an obvious and guessable number (like your date of birth) for your PIN. It’s also important to change your PIN periodically, and if you think it may have been compromised, change it immediately.
Tip 10 - Regularly check your account balance and statements and report any discrepancies to your bank immediately.
*Please note that you should show the same precautionary care when using your card(s) at a POS (point of sale) pinpad terminal in a retail environment or at a restaurant or when conducting transactions online, telephonically or when writing checks.
Bay Federal Credit Union has implemented a special system to protect your ATM/Visa Check Card or Visa Credit Card from fraudulent use. If this system identifies card usage out of your normal range, your card may be blocked from further use until we verify whether or not these transactions are indeed valid.
To verify your transactions, please call:
ATM and Visa Check Cards
Within the United States: 800-871-9159
Outside the United States: 727-227-7004
Visa Credit Cards
Within the United States: 800.477.8498
Outside the United States: 206.352.3516 (collect calls accepted)
As a Bay Federal Credit Union ATM/Visa Check Card or Visa Credit Card holder, it’s also important to:
- Regularly check your accounts for fraudulent activity through statements and Internet account access.
- Always keep your card in a safe place.
- Do not store your PIN with your card.
- When you no longer need records pertaining to your account, don’t just throw them away, destroy them.
Cardholders should notify Bay Federal Credit Union of any unusual activity immediately at 831.479.6000 or 888.4BAYFED during normal business hours. Bay Federal Credit Union cardholders are protected from fraudulent use. You will not be held liable for any unauthorized purchases.
Financial abuse is the theft or embezzlement of money or any other property from an elder. It can be as simple as taking money from a wallet and as complex as manipulating a victim into turning over property to an abuser. This form of abuse can be devastating because an elder victim's life savings can disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving them unable to provide for their needs and afraid of what an uncertain tomorrow will bring.
Elder Financial Abuse can take many forms. The most widespread abuses include telemarketing fraud, identity theft, predatory lending and home improvement and estate planning scams. You can help prevent your loved ones from becoming victims by recognizing these warning signs:
- Unusual bank account activity, such as withdrawals from ATM machines when the individual cannot get to their bank or credit union.
- Signatures on checks and other documents that do not resemble the elder's signature.
- Checks or other documents signed when the elder cannot write or understand what he or she is signing.
- Lack of personal amenities, such as appropriate clothing and grooming items.
- Numerous unpaid billing statements when someone else has been designated to pay the bills.
- Change in spending patterns, such as buying items he or she doesn't need and can't use.
- The appearance of a stranger who begins a new close relationship and offers to manage the elder's finances and assets.
Report suspected abuse to the following agencies:
Santa Cruz County Human Resources Agency:
831.426.7322
San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency:
831.636.4102
Monterey County Department of Social Services:
800.960.0010
