• Sign up for Online Banking.
• Set up text or email alerts in online banking or our mobile app to notify you of account transactions. Contact us immediately if any transactions appear to be suspicious.
• If you have credit cards or accounts with another financial institution, monitor those as well, and notify the provider if you detect suspicious activity.
• Monitor your credit. Each of the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) offers a free annual report once a year. More information is available at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.
• If you do not have upcoming large purchases, such as a home, consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit reports. This can prevent criminals from obtaining credit in your name. This service is free, and you can do it yourself. More information can be found here.
• If you have been the victim of a fraud or identity theft, file a local police report. Then, file a short report with the Federal Trade Commission to report the fraud or identity theft.
• Consider setting up an IRS account. If you do so using your social security number, it will prevent criminals from establishing an account using your identity. You may also lock your social security number.
• Keep your notes. The paper trail may become a useful resource should you face identity theft issues or inaccuracies in your credit report in the future

Text Scams- Unpaid Tolls

Have you received a text claiming you owe unpaid tolls? It’s likely a scam!
Scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies and demanding payment. If you click their link and share personal information, they could steal your identity.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

• Don’t click links or respond to unexpected texts.
• Verify the message by calling your state’s tolling agency using a known number.
• Report and delete suspicious texts using your phone’s junk report option.

Learn more about spotting text scams at: ftc.gov/textscams

IRS TAX REFUND EMAIL AND TEXT SCAM

Scammers are sending text and email messages about your “tax refund” or “tax refund e-statement.” They tell you to click a link — supposedly to check on your “tax refund e-statement” or “fill out a form to get your refund.” But it’s a scam and if you click that link, the scammer might steal your identity or put malware on your phone or computer. The real IRS won’t contact you by email, text message, or social media to get your personal or financial information.

ACCOUNT SCAM ALERT

Never offer account, card, Zelle®, or online banking information by phone or text with anyone claiming to be a PriorityONE employee, or with anyone claiming to be from our fraud department. We will never call you and ask you for this information. The only time PriorityONE will ask for your personal information will be to verify your identity on a call that you have initiated. If you ever receive a voice or a text message from us and are unsure about responding to it, call us directly for assistance at 954-335-5100.

STUDENT LOAN RELIEF SCAMS

Scammers are targeting student loan borrowers with fake debt relief to steal personal information and money. Here are some warnings from the U.S. Department of Education to help you recognize and avoid these scams.

ROMANCE SCAMS

Online Imposters Break Hearts and Bank Accounts

What it is?

A fraud that targets victims with companionship and friendship, with a goal of having the victim send them money for a variety of reasons such as travel, medical care, business opportunity, etc.

How does it work?

Fraudsters make contact with the victim through social media networks, online forums, or dating sites.

This fraud takes time to develop as the fraudster builds trust with the victim.

At some point the fraudster will make a request for money.

Typical requests include travel expenses to see the victim, emergency medical expenses for the fraudster or a family member; business opportunity that will allow them to get enough money to live together.

The fraudster will generally begin by requesting a small amount of money and increase the request over time. 

Don’t Become a Victim

• Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the material has been used elsewhere.
• Go slow and ask lots of questions.
• Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or Facebook to go “offline.”
• Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.

                            ***DO NOT share your Login credentials, account or debit card information with anyone***

• Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse because he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
• Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person.
• Talk to someone about this new love interest. And pay attention if your friends or family are concerned.
• If you suspect a romance scam, cut off contact right away. Then, report to the scam to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. Notify the dating site where you met the scammer, too.

THE UNEXPECTED PACKAGE SCAM

• You get an unexpected package from a retailer.
• You open it, and it has something nice inside.
• A card inside says thanks for your loyalty with a QR code to get more free stuff.
• If you scan the QR code, it installs malware on your phone.
• Hackers then steal all your personal information and can even take over your phone, draining your bank accounts.

Be on the lookout!

FAKE CHECK SCAMS

Lots of scammers use fake checks to get your money.

Here are some examples:

Online Jobs. Scammers pretend to hire you as mystery shoppers, personal assistants, etc. You get a check with instructions to deposit it in your account and send money to someone else or buy gift cards. But once you do, the money is gone and your so-called “employer” disappears. That leaves you without money and a fake check.

Car wrap decals. You respond to an offer for car wrap advertising. The company tells you to deposit a check and then send money to decal installers. But it’s a scam, the installers aren’t real, and now your money is gone.

Claiming prizes. A sweepstakes says you’ve won and gives you a check. They tell you to send the money to cover taxes, fees, etc. That’s not how a legitimate sweepstakes work – you’ll be out any money you send.

Overpayments. People buying something from you online and “accidentally” send a check for too much, and ask you to refund the balance. It’s a scam.

OAT fraud is a form of identity theft where fraudsters gain access to the victim’s login credentials and log in to an online app or service as you. The recent incidents that we’ve seen involve fraudsters posing as employees of Century Link, Amazon, Social Security, Microsoft, banks, and credit unions.

PriorityONE will never send you a link via text unless you initiate the communication and ask for a link. If you receive such a message, do not click on it. If you are ever unsure of a communication, call us immediately at 954-335-5100.

Watch out for spoofed websites. Hackers are increasingly making fake banking websites that look authentic. Then they send these website links to credit union members, hoping you’ll enter your login credentials for them to harvest. Make sure to only click links you trust or access your online banking account from a saved bookmark.

PriorityONE continually monitors our members’ debit and credit cards for fraudulent activity. If our fraud monitoring service detects a suspicious transaction on your account, we will alert you via Fraud Text Alerts, a text message of the transaction.

PriorityONE Credit Union will never contact you asking for your Personal dentification Number or account numbers. Here are several effective security techniques that we encourage you to implement when you use the online banking service:

• Never reveal your password to anyone or leave your password anywhere that someone else can obtain and use it.
• Change your password on a regular basis.
• Use the Exit button to end each Internet banking session. Do not use the Back button to exit the site.
• Change your session timeout in User Options to a time that meets your needs.
• Balance your account on a regular basis.

As with all financial transactions, please exercise discretion when using the automated teller machine (ATM) or night deposit facility. For your safety, please follow the suggestions on the link provided- Safety Precautions and Tips

To report a Lost/Stolen Debit Card

• During regular business hours call (954) 335-5100, option 2

• After hours, weekends and holidays call (833) 400-3122

To report your lost or stolen Visa Platinum Card

call (833) 400-3122