Currents Newsletter

Fraudsters know how valuable your personal and financial information. Don’t let them trick you with fake ads, phony websites, or promises to get hard-to-find gifts. One mistake could allow them to steal personal information to ultimately drain a person’s bank account.

Here are some tips to protect yourself:

• Be wary about unsolicited phone calls, emails and texts. WPCCU will not contact you to verify your credit union account information, especially your passwords. Don’t click on links you’re unfamiliar with. Bogus links could install malware and compromise your online security.
• Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can spoof caller ID and make it look real. Don’t open the door to fraud by picking up the call or calling the number.
• Be alert. Fraudsters are continually changing tactics to scam you out of your money. Stay on top of the latest scams by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
• If you use Zelle^® fraudsters may send you suspicious text messages claiming to be from WPCCU. If something looks fishy, it probably is. Call us when in doubt.
• Ensure you install the latest security updates for your devices from your provider.
• Consider a credit freeze to protect your credit: By implementing a credit freeze, you can limit access to your credit report, preventing both yourself and others from opening new credit accounts. And: You can temporarily lift the freeze if you need to apply for new credit. Learn more in this article on the website of the Federal Trade Commission.
• Shop with confidence: Use your WPCCU debit and credit cards for your shopping.

Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you suspect you’re the victim of identity theft or fraud, call us immediately at 800-300-9728 or 213-580-1600.

If you are a victim of Identity Theft: The webpage identitytheft.gov is a one-stop-resource of the Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and to get step-by-step instructions on how to recover from any type of identity theft.