Fraud Protection

MAIN OFFICE

887 Lafayette Road
Hampton, NH 03842-0120
Phone: (603) 926-5653
Fax: (603) 929-4001
email@seacoastcu.org

EXETER OFFICE

109 Epping Rd
P.O. Box 1027
Exeter, NH 03833
Phone: (603) 418-0234
Fax: (603) 418-0239
email@seacoastcu.org

Internet Pirates Protect Yourself IRS.Gov IRS Phishing Phishing Example

Please Remember Local Scam Credit Bureaus

Holiday Scams ID Theft Tool Kit You Have the Power to Stop ID Theft

Tis the season for Holiday scams and schemes 12/09

During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we tend to get hoodwinked more than during the rest of the year. Here are a few of the kinds of schemes that are being seen this season:

Fake charity websites: They're out there and asking, pleading for your credit card information. Stick with the well known ones like the Salvation Army or the Red Cross.

Fake delivery invoices: These occur in your home, and at times, your work email. They can be ignored. If these fake delivery invoices are opened, they usually deliver some nasty malware onto the computer.

Fake "New Friend Request" emails: These are sneaky, so be on the watch for these on Face book and other social media sites.

Holiday ecards laden with computer viruses: One word describes these potentially virus-laden missives -- dangerous. Check with the person who supposedly sent it to you; if uncertain - delete! Even if it is legitimate, scan for viruses.

Unsecured, public area computers: Unsecured? Enough said. Even checking your email is dangerous on public area computers.

Auction site fraud: The classic fraud via sites such as eBay and others isn't going away. Buyer beware - if it looks or sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Password theft: This is done in myriad ways, so caution is the watchword. Also, remember to change your passwords frequently and not use the same password for every site you visit.

E-mail banking scams: Can be devastating to a member's balance, and even their identity, so keep plugging away with the warnings about phishing, vishing, smishing, because the criminals are using more than just the computer to get what they want.

Identity Theft link for the necessary steps you will need to take.
What to do if you fall victim:
Contact your financial institution immediately and alert it to the situation. If you have disclosed sensitive information in a phishing attack, you should also contact one of the three major credit bureaus and discuss whether you need to place a fraud alert on your file, which will help prevent thieves from opening a new account in your name. Here is the contact information for each bureau’s fraud Division:

Equifax - 800-525-6285 P.O. Box 740250 Atlanta, GA 30374

Experian - 888-397-3742 P.O. Box 1017 Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion - 800-680-7289 P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92634

Report all suspicious contacts to the Federal Trade Commission through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.AHere’s How: Do not be intimidated by an e-mail or caller who suggests dire consequences if you do not immediately provide or verify financial information. If you believe the contact is legitimate, go to the company’s Web site by typing in the site address directly or using a page you have previously book marked, instead of a link provided in the e-mail. If you fall victim to an attack, act immediately to protect yourself. Alert your financial institution. Place fraud alerts on your credit files. Monitor your credit files and account statements closely. Contact the Federal Trade Commission through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.

Internet Pirates are trying to Steal YOUR personal financial information! Here's the good news- YOU have the Power to Stop Them! Here’s a new type of Internet piracy called “phishing.” It’s pronounced “fishing,” and that’s exactly what these thieves are doing: “fishing” for your personal financial information. What they want are account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, and other confidential information that they can use to loot your checking account or run up bills on your credit cards. In the worst case, you could find yourself a victim of identity theft. With the sensitive information obtained from a successful phishing scam, these thieves can take out loans or obtain credit cards and even driver’s licenses in your name.

In a typical case, you’ll receive an e-mail that appears to come from a reputable company that you recognize and do business with, such as your financial institution. In some cases, the e-mail may appear to come from a government agency, including one of the federal financial institution regulatory agencies. The e-mail will probably warn you of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention. It may use phrases, such as “Immediate attention required,” or “Please contact us immediately about your account.” The e-mail will then encourage you to click on a button to go to the institution’s Web site. In a phishing scam, you could be redirected to a phony Web site that may look exactly like the real thing. Sometimes, in fact, it may be the company’s actual Web site. In those cases, a pop-up window will quickly appear for the purpose of harvesting your financial information. In either case, you may be asked to update your account information or to provide information for verification purposes: your Social Security number, your account number, your password, or the information you use to verify your identity when speaking to a real financial institution, such as your mother’s maiden name or your place of birth. If you provide the requested information, you may find yourself the victim of identity theft.How to Protect Yourself:

Never provide your password over the phone or in response to an unsolicited Internet request. We would never ask you to verify your account information online. Thieves armed with this information and your account number can help themselves to your savings.

Review account statements regularly to ensure all charges are correct. If your account statement is late in arriving, call your financial institution to find out why. If your financial institution offers electronic account access, periodically review activity online to catch suspicious activity.

IRS Phishing Emails - Tax Refunds

SCENARIO/METHOD: IRS Phishing Emails - Tax Refunds

The Internal Revenue Service and the Internet Crime Complaint Center have issued consumer alerts about an Internet scam in which consumers receive an e-mail informing them of a tax refund. One e-mail, which claims to be from the IRS, tells the recipient that they are eligible to receive a tax refund for a given amount. It then directs the consumer to a link that requests personal information, such as Social Security number and credit card information.
Another e-mail titled "Refund Notice" claims to provide information to recipients regarding the status of their IRS Tax Refunds. The e-mail contains a link, which mirrors the true IRS web site. This site purportedly allows recipients to check the status of their IRS tax refund after providing the following information:

First and last name
Social Security Number or IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
Credit card information

The IRS has seen numerous attempts over the years to defraud the public and the federal government

What is phishing?

From the wikipedia Computer dictionary: phishing) (n.) The act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The e-mail directs the user to visit a Web site where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card, social security, and bank account numbers, that the legitimate organization already has. The Web site, however, is bogus and set up only to steal the users information.
For example, 2003 saw the proliferation of a phishing scam in which users received e-mails supposedly from eBay claiming that the users account was about to be suspended unless he clicked on the provided link and updated the credit card information that the genuine eBay already had. Because it is relatively simple to make a Web site look like a legitimate organizations site by mimicking the HTML code, the scam counted on people being tricked into thinking they were actually being contacted by eBay and were subsequently going to eBays site to update their account information. By spamming large groups of people, the phisher counted on the e-mail being read by a percentage of people who actually had listed credit card numbers with eBay legitimately.

Phishing, also referred to as brand spoofing or carding, is a variation on fishing, the idea being that bait is thrown out with the hopes that while most will ignore the bait, some will be tempted into biting.

Seacoast Credit Union wants to let our members know about this phishing fraud done through email and the internet. There have been other Financial Institutions that have had AUTHENTIC LOOKING email with an attached website sent to their members. This website will ask for information such as Debit and Credit card numbers, PIN #s, expiration dates etc.

Never submit information over the Internet through one of these emails.
If you have already submitted your information, contact us immediately and we will decide the best course action.

EXAMPLE 1 of PHISHING EMAIL

From: F.C.U. Security Service {confirm@ncua.gov}

Sent: Monday September 12, 2005 11:21AM

Subject: {QUARANTINE} IMPORTANT: FCU Verification

Importance: Low

Credit union is constantly working to ensure security by regularly screening the accounts in our system. We recently reviewed your account and we need more information to help us provide you with secure service. Until we can collect this information, your access to sensitive account features will be limited. We would like to restore your access as soon as possible and we apologize for the inconvenience

Why is my account access limited?

Your account access has been limited for the following reason(s):

*We would like to ensure that your account was not accessed by an unauthorized third party. Because protecting the security of your account is our primary concern, we have limited access to sensitive Credit Union account features. We understand that this may be an inconvenience but please understand that this temporary limitation is for your protection.

(Your case ID for this reason is PcU1-410-320-3334.)

At Credit Union, one of our most important responsibilities to your, our customer, is the safekeeping of the nonpublic personal ("confidential") information you have entrusted to us and using this information in a responsible manner. Appropriate use of the confidential information you provide us is also at the heart of our ability to provide you with exceptional personal service whenever you contact us.

How can I restore my account access:

Please confirm your identity here: Restore My Online Banking and complete the "Steps to Remove Limitations."

Completing all of the checklist items will automatically restore your account access.

Phishing
www.IRS.gov .

The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited e-mail.

Credit union members are receiving VoIP scam calls that are automated and insistent that the card holder call a toll free number to update important financial information. Once the toll free number is dialed an automated phone system asks for the card number, PIN and expiration date. VoIP lines are telephone systems that utilize the Internet instead of traditional telephone land lines to deliver communication services. This is a scam!

They can do damage to your financial history and personal reputation that can take years to unravel. How phishing works and how to protect yourself, you can help stop this crime. Here’s how phishing works:

Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited request whether it is over the phone or over the Internet. E-mails and Internet pages created by phishers may look exactly like the real thing. They may even have a fake padlock icon that ordinarily is used to denote a secure site. If you did not initiate the communication, you SHOULD NOT provide any information.
If you believe the contact may be legitimate, contact the financial institution yourself. You can find phone numbers and Web sites on the monthly statements you receive from your financial institution, or you can look the company up in a phone book or on the internet. The key is that you should be the one to intitiate the contact, using contact information that you have verified yourself.

LOCAL SCAMS

We have been notified by members that they have received a phone call saying that their debit card will be frozen unless they eneter their card number and the CVV number on the back of the card. If you have given out this information, please contact us immediately so that we can close the card and reissue. If it is after hours please call 1-800-554-8969.

Please remember that Seacoast Credit Union would NOT ask you to submit such confidential information. If you receive an email that is questionable, please DO NOT REPLY,contact Seacoast Credit Union immediately. We can be reached at 603-926-5653 option 4

Please be aware emails are circulating that trick you into giving out your personal information. Including but not limited to the following: name, social security number, Debit / Credit card numbers, PIN numbers etc.
We have been notified that there is an email going around that states if you fill out a survey Seacoast Credit Union will pay you $100.00. We are not conducting any such survey. This is a scam!
Be mindful of groups reporting to be affiliated with legitimate organizations asking for donations or requesting you to visit their web site.
Contact these organizations on your own. Go to their web site rather than clicking on a link in an email sent to you.
They may be fraudulent or hosting malicious code designed to steal personal financial information.
Report suspicious Internet sites and emails to the government and for additional protection tips visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or the Federal Government's consumer information center at www.consumer.gov/tech.htm