We Take Yours Seriously
At MemberSource Credit Union, your security is very important to us. It’s our job to ensure your Online Home Banking and BillPayer transactions are 100% secure and to let you know about any and all scams found in today’s world. Be sure to use the links to the right to learn more about ID Theft issues, Phishing scams, as well as Online Home Banking and security.
Phishing Information
If you’ve never seen the word “phishing” before, here’s a quick bit of history: according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, the word "phishing" comes from the analogy that Internet scammers are using email "lures" to "fish" for passwords and financial data from the sea of Internet users.
Overall, this scheme uses e-mails appearing to come from a legitimate company or user and directs recipients to fake Web sites where they are asked for personal financial information.
If you have received a fraudulent email or if you entered personal information because of such a fraudulent email, please let us know immediately by forwarding a copy of the email to phishing@membersourcecu.org
Don’t be fooled
A recent study found that seven out of ten consumers had unintentionally visited a fake Web site and more than 15 percent of those visiting the web site admitted to providing sensitive private information including credit card numbers, checking account information and Social Security numbers. If you receive or respond to a phishing email and suspect that your personal information has been "phished" by an unknown source, you should assume that you either are - or soon will be - the victim of identity theft, and you should take immediate measures.
If you were lured by a "spoof" of a real company or organization, get in touch with the real company immediately. They may be able to help you minimize the damage. For example, if you thought you were updating your credit card information with an online store, and you discovered it wasn't your online store, call or email the real store at once.
If you provided your credit card information as part of the "phishing" scheme, contact the customer service department of the institution that issued your credit card and ask to speak to someone in risk management or loss prevention.
How to Avoid Phishing Scams
The number of phishing scams sent out to consumers continues to increase dramatically. While online banking and e-commerce is very safe, you should be careful about giving out your personal information over the Internet. The Anti-Phishing Work Group has compiled a list of recommendations below that you can use to avoid becoming a victim of these scams.
- Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal information. Phishers typically include upsetting or exciting (but false) statements in their emails to get people to react immediately.
- Don't use the links in an email to get to any web page if you suspect the message might not be authentic. Instead, call the company on the telephone, or log to the website directly by typing in the Web address in your browser.
- Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal financial information. You should only communicate information such as credit card numbers or account information via a secure website or the telephone.
- Always ensure that you're using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your Web browser.
- Regularly login to your online accounts. Don't wait a month before you check each account.
- Regularly check your credit and debit statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate. If anything is suspicious, contact your financial institution and all credit card issuers.
- Sign up for services like E-statements and Online Home Banking. Doing so will reduce the amount of private mail you get in your postal mailbox, and will allow you to keep a closer watch on your money and accounts.
