Category: Financial Literacy

We have recently seen an increase in scams and would like to provide you with some tips on how to identify them and what to watch for.

Prize Pitch (Lottery) Scams 

The classic prize pitch scam involves victims receiving notification by mail, phone, or e-mail indicating they have won a prize (monetary or other valued items). 

However, in order to collect the prize the victim is required to pay various fees or taxes in advance. Victims either never hear from the organization again or receive further requests for money.

Tips: 

• Challenge a caller who says you’ve won a prize to tell you where and when you entered. If you didn’t enter, you can’t win.

• Keep track of contests, draws and lotteries you enter.

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Watch out for Charity Scams 

Fraud artists hope to profit from people’s generosity. Consider the following precautions to make sure your donations benefit the people and organizations you want to assist:

•            Be wary of appeals that tug at your heart, especially pleas involving current events.

•            Ask for written information about the charity, including name, address and telephone number. A legitimate charity or fund-raiser will give you information about the charity’s mission, how your donation will be used and proof that your contribution is tax deductible.

•            Ask the solicitor for the registered charitable tax number of the charity. Question any discrepancies. 

•            Check out the charity’s financial information. For many organizations, this information can be found online or call them.    

•            Watch out for similar-sounding names. Some phony charities use names that closely resemble those of respected, legitimate organizations. If you notice a small difference from the name of the charity you intend to deal with, call the organization to check it out. 

•            Be skeptical if someone thanks you for a pledge you don’t remember making. If you have any doubts about whether you’ve made a pledge or previously contributed, check your records. Be on the alert for invoices claiming you’ve made a pledge. Some unscrupulous solicitors use this approach to get your money. 

•            Refuse high-pressure appeals. Legitimate fund-raisers won’t push you to give on the spot. 

•            Be wary of charities offering to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect your donation immediately. 

•            Be wary of guaranteed sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution. According to law, you never have to donate anything to be eligible to win. 

•            Avoid cash gifts. Cash can be lost or stolen. For security and tax record purposes, it’s best to pay by check. 

Advance Fee Fraud 

Classified advertisements for loan opportunities do not guarantee the legitimacy of a company. Some companies claim they can guarantee you a loan even if you have a bad credit history or no credit rating at all. They usually request an up-front fee of several hundred dollars. If you send your money to these companies, it is unlikely you will get your promised loan and your advance payment will be at risk.

Advance fee loans operating for a criminal purpose generate millions of dollars annually in the U.S. Persons with poor credit ratings are usually the key targets and once the ‘loan processors’ receive your money, they usually disappear.

If you have doubts about the organization, contact the Better Business Bureau for further information.

Most important, do not give out your personal or account information unless you are absolutely sure you know who you are dealing with. If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 707-443-8662.

Fraudsters use circumstances like this to prey on innocent people. To protect yourself from scams, use caution and watch for these types of threats.

1. Financial Imposter Scam
Fraudsters create SMS/Text Messages that look like they came from your financial institution, prompting you to take action immediately. Once you respond, they follow up with a call pretending they are from the security department. They use some of your information found on social media or the internet to coax you into providing your username, password and 2FA code. This information allows them to access your online banking. Compass will never ask for your password or 2FA code and you should never give this information out.

2. Phishing Emails
Be wary of emails requesting personal information. Scammers send bogus emails that look like they come from a company you recognize. They include the company’s branding and logo so you think it’s legit. These scams are designed to trick you into providing your username and password. Do not click on any links in the email. Contact the company directly through their website by typing the web address yourself. You can also call the phone number that you have on file or the number listed on their website. 

3. Spoofed (Fake) Websites
Crooks like to create fake websites that look genuine. They can be very impressive to deceive you in thinking it’s real. Then, they try and trick you into providing your debit/credit card number or your username and password. The best thing to do is go directly to the website by typing the web address yourself rather than from the link. Look at the website address and make sure it matches the site you’re trying to access. Tip: Scammers usually misspell or add an extra letter to the website address. An example is Amazon becoming “Amazone” or “Amazne.”

4. Reusing Usernames and Passwords
Protect yourself by using different usernames and passwords for every account. Passphrases consisting of simpler words or constructs are better than short passwords with special characters. A password is a short character set of mixed digits. A passphrase is a long string of text that makes up a phrase or sentence. Example: mydogRocky#1

For additional information and to learn more about other security tips, visit Compassccu.org/securitytips. If you think you have been a victim of fraud, please contact us at 707-443-8662.

Every year, stolen debit and credit card information account for billions of dollars in losses and fraud. Cybercriminals are standing by 24/7, so we’ve compiled a list of tips to keep yourself protected.

1. Credit Card vs. Debit Card

Both can fall victim to fraud. If you’re the victim of fraud or theft, Compass can assist you with filing a dispute to get your money back. Best practice is to monitor your account regularly with our free online banking or free Compass mobile app. You can even set up alerts to help manage your account.

2. Don’t Store Your Card Information on a Website

If your computer asks: “remember my password,” the correct answer is “no.” This feature is obviously convenient, but it leaves you vulnerable should someone gain access to your computer or browser. Similarly, if you’re making a purchase, some sites will ask if you want to save your card information for future purchases. Always choose “no.”

3. Monitor Account Activity and Boost Anti-Fraud Measures

Many credit and debit card issuers allow you to sign up for transaction alerts that will notify you when a purchase has been made over a set amount, which can help you monitor your account. Regularly log in to your account to keep tabs on your account activity. If you notice anything questionable, report it right away.

4. Look for http “s” Before Purchasing

Not all sites are safe and secure. Ensure the site you are visiting is secure before purchasing by looking for the “https://” in the browser’s address bar before you provide your credit card information. The “s” stands for Secure and should appear on all web pages that require disclosing financial information. If it’s not there, the site is not secure, so discontinue any transactions or sharing of personal information.

5. Be Wary of Emails Requesting Information

Attackers may attempt to gather information by sending official-looking and sounding emails requesting that you confirm a purchase or account information. Legitimate businesses will not solicit this type of information through email. Do not provide sensitive information through email. If you receive an unsolicited email from a business, instead of clicking on the provided link, directly log in to the authentic website by typing the address yourself.

6. Be Careful of Faked Websites

“Typosquatting,” also called URL hijacking, is what may occur when you mistype a website name and don’t realize it. Scammers set up fake domain names that are just a letter or two off from popular sites to take advantage of unintentional misspellings. Those who normally type quickly and rely heavily on autocorrect are especially at risk. This can result in Amazon becoming “Amazone” or “Amazne.” Also, bookmark the pages you visit most often to make navigating easier and less of a hassle.

7. Assume Public Wi-Fi is Not Secure

Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee shops, libraries, airports, and other public places are convenient but often not secure. Online shoppers don’t realize that cyber thieves can grab their wireless data at Wi-Fi hotspots because the majority of these places don’t encrypt the information you send over the Internet. If a network doesn’t require a password, it’s safe to assume it is not secure.

The Bottom Line: It’s important to take extra precautions while shopping or doing any financial transactions online. Cybercriminals know we’re conducting more business online than ever and they’re looking for ways to target unsuspecting consumers.

Stay on top of your credit scores and protect your identity with our IdentityIQ plan. To learn more, click here.