Fraud Alerts & Tips to Stay Safe This Holiday Season

Scammers Are Getting Smarter.
Do You Know Their Latest Tricks?

Email / phone spoofing (trusted senders impersonated).

Scammers are sending emails that look like they come from real government or company addresses (the display name may be real while the actual sender is fake). Always verify before replying or clicking links.

Fake delivery / smishing texts.

Texts claiming a package is delayed or needs a fee are used to steal login details or trick you to malicious sites. Don’t tap links in unexpected delivery texts and use the retailer’s app or official site.

Holiday shopping scams & fake stores.

Fraudsters run lookalike online stores or social media ads with unbelievable deals to steal payment info or never ship goods.

Job and “task” scams (especially seasonal hiring).

Scammers post fake jobs or message job seekers, ask for personal info or up-front “fees,” or involve paid-task schemes that eventually require you to send money or buy cryptocurrency. These have spiked and target people looking for extra seasonal income.

Cryptocurrency & investment scams.

Fraudulent investment pitches promising high returns or “guaranteed” crypto gains often ask you to move money to non-bank wallets or pay “fees” to unlock funds. Losses from investment/crypto scams remain large.

Gift-card & payment-method pressure.

Scammers insist you pay with gift cards or wire transfers (they like irreversible payment methods). Never pay someone who insists on gift cards or unusual payment methods.

How to protect yourself:

1. Don’t click links in unexpected emails or texts. Instead, type the company’s website yourself or open the official app. (If you get a delivery text, check your account directly with the carrier.)
2. Verify the sender. Look closely at the email address (not just the display name). If an email claims to be from a government agency or our credit union and it feels odd, call the known phone number, not the number in the email.
3. Never pay to get a job or to recover money. Legit employers won’t ask you to pay fees, buy gift cards, or transfer money to get a job. If asked, it’s a red flag.
4. Treat crypto/investment solicitations with extreme caution. If someone pressures you to move money to a crypto wallet or promises guaranteed returns, it’s most likely a scam. Ask for written documents, verify licenses, and consider consulting someone you trust before transferring funds.
5. Don’t share one-time passcodes or bank login info. Scammers often ask for verification codes to bypass security. Never give these to anyone.
6. Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Enable MFA on accounts that offer it, but don’t share the MFA codes.
7. Be cautious with QR codes and unexpected packages. Don’t scan QR codes from unknown packages or flyers. They can link to malicious sites. If you get an unsolicited package, don’t scan accompanying QR codes.
8. Monitor accounts & report suspicious activity immediately. Check transactions often and report anything unusual to us right away so we can help protect your accounts.

If you think you’ve been targeted or scammed

• Contact us immediately at 877-670-5860 or by email.
• Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus.