Fraud Alerts

Phone Scam
Security breach at Heartland Payment Systems

VISA Security and C V V 2 numbers
Phishing is just like fishing
Internet scam using NCUA

Phone Scam – 2/17/2009

Diligent members and non-members have informed us of a “vishing” scam which uses telephone recordings to lure unsuspecting consumers into disclosing their personal account information.

Random calls are being made to members and non-members telling them their credit or debit card account has been compromised and that they will need to provide their account number and PIN verification.

YOUR CREDIT UNION WILL NEVER CALL OR EMAIL YOU ASKING FOR YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION.  

Other credit unions are experiencing similar scenarios. Findings suggest that fraudsters do not know if the household is actually a Credit Union member. They count on the volume of false calls to produce their desired results. Unfortunately, this is a widespread problem affecting financial institutions around the country. 

If you inadvertently respond to one of these calls and provide your confidential information, please notify us immediately.


Security Breach at Heartland Payment Systems – 2/17/2009

The Baltimore County Employees Federal Credit Union has learned that there was a security breach at Heartland Payment Systems, a card processor for retail merchants based in Princeton, New Jersey.

Information that may have been compromised includes debit and credit card numbers, cardholder names, and card expiration dates. According to a press release issued by Heartland, no personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, PINs, or social security numbers was exposed.

These types of breaches sometimes occur through no fault or involvement of your Credit Union. Please be assured that we have sophisticated plastic card monitoring programs in place and have increased the monitoring of all accounts. Your Credit Union receives alerts of unusual account activity and potential fraud on a daily basis, and will contact you directly should this occur.

For this reason, the Credit Union does not intend to cancel or reissue any member cards at this time.  We encourage you to review your statements and if you notice any discrepancies or suspicious activity, please contact our VISA Department at 410-828-4730 or 1-800-234-4730, option 3. 


VISA Security Alert
Criminal seeking account information are at it again!

New techniques are being applied to previously used schemes. In a new twist on traditional forms of "phishing," criminals are now targeting your C V V 2 information.

C V V 2 (Card Verification Value) is a three-digit code on the back of your card used during telephone or internet-based transactions. C V V 2 was implemented by credit card companies as a way to authenticate the actual card with the cardholder and reduce fraud.

In these new schemes, criminals posing as representatives of credit card companies communicate to you with urgency about a possible fraud scenario involving your card. During this process, you are then duped into revealing your C V V 2 number.

Your Credit Union will never ask you to reveal your C V V 2, PIN, or any other number because we have your account information on file.

Your Credit Union will never send you an email telling you our website is down and suggest that you access your account from an alternate website provided through a "convenient" link. These are examples of outright scams.

Today's technology offers great convenience for members in handling their finances. It also offers criminals countless ways to creatively scam unwary consumers.


"PHISHING"
is just like fishing.

An alarming trend in internet piracy is called "phishing" (pronounced fishing)... which is exactly what the thieves are doing—fishing for your personal financial information.

"Phishing" thieves are desperately in search of account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, and other confidential information that they can use to loot your checking account or run up your credit card bills. If these individuals are successful, you could find yourself a victim of identity theft. With your identity, a thief has the ability to take out loans, obtain credit cards, and even acquire a driver's license in your name. This can result in serious damage to your financial history, cost thousands of dollars to repair, and can take years to correct.

There are many ways in which a thief may try to "phish" out your personal information. One common avenue is by email. Typically you receive an email that appears to come from a reputable company, a government agency, or even the Credit Union. It may warn of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention. Often, by following their instructions, you are redirected to a phony web site that looks exactly like the real thing. The unsuspecting person, desiring to remedy the problem with their account will start to provide their personal information. Now, the internet thieves have pertinent information about you to continue their scam on your personal finances.

Remember these helpful hints:

1. Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited request.
2. If you believe an email could be legitimate and have concern about an account problem they have brought to your attention, contact the financial institution or agency yourself.
3. Never provide your password over the phone or to an unsolicited email request.
4. Review your account statements regularly to ensure the accuracy of all charges, transactions, and balances.

Report all suspicious email contacts to the Federal Trade Commission through the internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.


We have been alerted to an Internet scam
targeting credit union members.


The e-mail message fraudulently shows that it is from the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). It is addressed to credit union members advertising that they have been selected to take part in a quick and easy 5-question survey and that their responses will enable the credit union to provide improved and expanded online services.

The members are advised that their replies will be kept confidential and that in return for responding to the survey questions, $50.00 will be credited to the member's credit union account.

To receive the $50.00 award, the member is asked to provide their account number and PIN so that the $50.00 may be credited to the member's account.

The message is a scam. It is not from the NCUA. It is an attempt to obtain enough personal information relating to the member's credit union account to enable the swindlers to steal money from the account.

We have been told that the NCUA is in the process of having this phony website closed down. However, until it is closed, please be aware that it is a scam and should not be responded to by any recipient.

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