Scam Alerts

Lock Out Potential Identity Thieves With a Security Freeze
Would you like to ‘lock up' your credit information so no one can access it without your permission? Beginning July 1, 2007, Montanans can put a ‘security freeze' on their credit file, which means those files, cannot be shared with potential creditors.

A security freeze is one of the most effective ways to prevent identity theft. It helps prevent a thief from falsely using someone else's identity to take out a new mortgage, apply for a credit card or get financing. The freeze is easily lifted if consumers plan to make a major purchase, open a new credit card or take out a loan. A security freeze will not lower your credit score or prevent you from getting your own credit report. To place a security freeze on your credit files, you must write separate letters to each of the three credit bureaus and provide identifying information including-at a minimum-your name, address and Social Security number. For married couples, both spouses must request the freeze via separate request letters.

Placing a security freeze on your credit files costs $3 per person, for a total of $9 to freeze your files with all three credit bureaus. There is no freeze fee for identity theft victims who have filed a police report of identity theft. To have a freeze temporarily lifted also costs $3 per credit bureau, but there is no fee to permanently remove it. When a file is protected by a security freeze, a creditor who requests that file will get a message or a code indicating that the file is frozen. However, certain entities can still access your credit files, such as existing creditors, collection agencies acting on your behalf, or some government agencies. For more information about the new Montana Security Freeze, go to http://www.doj.mt.gov/consumer/consumer/securityfreeze.asp.

If you have questions or concerns about using a security freeze, contact the Montana Office of Consumer Protection at (800) 481-6896 or visit their website at www.doj.mt.gov/consumer/

Scams Mimic Government Stimulus Package
Identity thieves posing as representatives of the Internal Revenue Service are sending spam e-mails promising government economic stimulus packages. The message tells the user to download an attachment that is masked as a form they must fill out and send to the IRS to receive their check. However, the document really is an identity theft tool that steals the personal information entered in the form.

Another scam being used promises more information on how to get “economic stimulus grants.” They tempt users with fake testimonials such as, “I found the grant I needed and filled out the forms and sent them in, and in about two weeks I received a check in my hand for $100,000.” It leads to a marketing-type site in which you enter personal information such as salary range, e-mail address, mailing address, and date of birth purportedly to get a free CD that shows you how to claim one of these grants. To order the CD, you must enter credit card information for the postage and handling costs. You never get the CD-only a stolen identity.

Unfortunately, the threat of fraud due to phishing attempts continues to be very active. Fraudsters are increasing in sophistication, and this type of activity shows no sign of slowing down.
Credit Unions in the mid-west have been hit with scam telephone calls telling them their charge cards had been de-activated via an electronic message with a male voice directing them to call 515-414-2686. Once on the phone line, of course, they were solicited for their card numbers, pin numbers and other information. You should never give personal information such as pin numbers over the phone, email, etc. to anyone.

E-mail Fraud Alert:
The Credit Union National Association is the trade association for credit unions in the US. CUNA does not maintain any type of customer/member financial information. Additionally, your financial institution would never request personal identification information over the phone via an e-mail solicitation. If you did respond to this e-mail, you should contact your financial institution directly using the local phone number provided by your financial institution.

NACHA Phishing Alert (7/22/2010) Email Claiming to be from NACHA
NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association has received reports that individuals and/or companies have received a fraudulent email that has the appearance of having been sent from NACHA. See sample below.

The subject line of the email states: "Unauthorized ACH Transaction." The email includes a link that redirects the individual to a fake Web page and contains a link that is almost certainly an executable virus with malware. Do not click on the link. Both the email and the related website are fraudulent.

Be aware that phishing emails frequently have links to Web pages that host malicious code and software. Do not follow Web links in unsolicited emails from unknown parties or from parties with whom you do not normally communicate, or that appear to be known but are suspicious or otherwise unusual.

NACHA itself does not process nor touch the ACH transactions that flow to and from organizations and financial institutions. NACHA does not send communications to individuals or organizations about individual ACH transactions that they originate or receive.

If malicious code is detected or suspected on a computer, consult with a computer security or anti-virus specialist to remove malicious code or re-install a clean image of the computer system.

Always use anti-virus software and ensure that the virus signatures are automatically updated.

Ensure that the computer operating systems and common software applications security patches are installed and current.

Be alert for different variations of fraudulent emails.

========= Sample E-Mail ================

From: Information
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 8:27 AM
To: Doe, John
Subject: Unauthorized ACH Transaction Debit/Credit Card

Dear bank account holder,

The ACH transaction, recently initiated from your bank account, was rejected by the Electronic Payments Association. Please review the transaction report by clicking the link below:

Unauthorized ACH Transaction Report

Please contact Rocky Mountain Credit Union if you have been contacted in this manner. Helena: 449-2680 Bozeman: 586-1505

Deactivated Phone Call/Text Message:
Members have received the following through text messaging and phone calls: “Rocky Mountain CU Alert: Your CARD has been DEACTIVATED. Please contact us at 406-545-4719 to REACTIVATE your CARD.” The number was called and the member heard the following message: “This is your credit unions 24 hour card activation, please enter your 16 digit number.”

Rocky Mountain did not send this text message and this is not one of our phone numbers.

The subject line of the e-mail states: "Check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage." The e-mail tells recipients that "You have received this message because you are a holder of a FDIC-insured bank account. Recently FDIC has officially named the bank you have opened your account with as a failed bank, thus, taking control of its assets."

The e-mail then asks recipients to "Visit the official FDIC website and perform the following steps to check your Deposit Insurance Coverage," complete with a fake link to the Web site. It then instructs recipients to "Download and open your personal FDIC Insurance File to check your Deposit Insurance Coverage."

This e-mail and associated Web site are fraudulent. Recipients should consider the intent of this e-mail as an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, some of which may be used to gain unauthorized access to online banking services or to conduct identity theft.

Financial institutions and consumers should NOT follow the link in the fraudulent e-mail.

You should NEVER respond to requests for information unless you have initiated the request. This includes requests via e-mail, phone, text messaging or through the mail.

Work with your Internet provider or telephone carrier to shut down fraudulent sites or phone numbers.

Don't fall victim to a current "bail out" scam:
Family members are receiving calls requesting they send $2,500-$3,000 to " bail " a family member out of jail . The caller insists they not tell anyone. The caller has enough information to convince the victim of their identity. Then later, victims are getting another call by an “attorney” that wants another $3,000 to represent their "jailed family member" for their trial .

RMCU is here to help you avoid falling victim to this and all scams currently curriculating. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Telephone Scam:

Hello,

For your security we deactivated your card account, to reactivate your card you must follow the reactivation steps. Call us immediately at 425.998.1128 and we will review the activity on your account with you and upon verification, we will remove any restrictions placed on your account.

Please disregard this notice if you have already spoken with one of our representatives. Please do not reply to this message. Replies to this message are routed to an unmonitored mailbox.

Scam Alert
Members and non-members may be receiving a recorded call from 1-800-466-0992 (and possibly 780-638-6515) informing them that their card has been deactivated due to a security breach. They are instructed to press 1 to reactivate their card by entering in the card number and PIN. This is not a call from Rocky Mountain Credit Union, please do not respond. RMCU will never ask for such information in this manner.