Fraud Prevention Series: Scammers Posing as Trusted Institutions

October 11, 2022

Trusted institutions, like credit unions, work hard to protect your personal information. But what happens if a scammer is posing as a trusted institution? Here’s how to look out for this fraudulent behavior.

 

 

It is becoming more common to see scammers pose as trusted institutions. They often introduce themselves as a reputable company you are familiar with and use messaging that sounds realistic. Although it can be hard to tell the difference, there are signs that can help you determine if the source can be trusted or not.

 

Asking for Personal Information

Being unexpectedly asked for sensitive or personal information can be a major sign of fraud. Often, scammers will ask for this information over text, email, a phone call, or even social media.

 

Just because trusted institutions store sensitive material, does not mean they will send a message asking for your personal information. If you receive a suspicious call, email, or text message from someone claiming to be from your institution, reach out to your institution right away to report it.

 

Unusual Sender Address

Watch out for unusual phone numbers or email addresses. For example, scammers may stray from the typical 10-digit phone number layout. In addition to any suspicious text messages, these are likely scams that should be reported.

 

As for emails, they may look similar to the email address of the trusted institution or company being imitated. If you are suspicious about an email, compare the email address sent and the email provided by the company on their official website. If there are any differences, do not to respond to the email or click on any external links.

 

Reminder: OU Credit Union will never call you asking for personal or sensitive information. Please notify us if you receive a suspicious call, email, or text message from someone claiming to be from OU Credit Union. For more tips to recognize fraud, visit oucreditunion.org/securitycenter.

 

 

 

Tags: Fraud Prevention Series, Security

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