NW Phone Call Scam Alert

A north west credit union has reported members are receiving calls allegedly from the credit union’s fraud department.

Here is the information that the credit union provided:

“Please be on high alert and encourage every member to hang up and call you back on the credit union’s direct phone number!

We have had at least three instances in the last 24 hours of fraudsters reaching out to members from a phone number that appears to be our legitimate 800 number. Once connected, the fraudsters claim to be our fraud department and collect additional information that allows them to further compromise the members accounts.

After they confirm with our member the transaction (that was made up by the fraudster) was not them, they reassure the cardholder that their card will be blocked and they will be taken care of once they can confirm their information. They are asking members to confirm info such as full card number, exp dates, three digits on the back, last 4 of SSN, etc.

After getting off the phone, the fraudsters are using that information to create a plastic, reset a pin and transacting hundreds in cash withdrawals from ATM’s & point-of-sale stores that so far have only been in Florida. Our members, thinking their card has been blocked, are none the wiser until it’s too late.

Here is an example of one of our members activities from last night. This fraudster called 22 times, and sent a text from a full phone number. Luckily the member was aware of the fraud signs and what to look for, and waited to come talk to us this morning rather than responding to the calls or message.”

OCCU’s Fraud Center  will never ask you for your full card number, your expiration date or the three digits on the back of your card. If you are asked these questions please hang up and contact us at (800) 426-5657.