Don’t Be Scared—Be Prepared
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month—which is fitting, considering how scary it can be to have your personal information targeted by scam artists. And even though the North Country can feel sheltered, Adirondack Regional FCU’s members aren’t immune to fraud: In recent months, our members have been targeted by scams in which they’re asked to share their account or debit card numbers or wire money to distant destinations. Sometimes, these scammers mask their caller IDs so it appears the requests are coming from an Adirondack Regional branch.
We’ll put it in bold: Adirondack Regional FCU representatives will never call a member and request Social Security numbers, debit card numbers, account numbers, online banking logins, or any other kind of personal information.
If you get a call like this, let us know immediately—these frauds are hard to root out but we will investigate when possible.
According to MyCreditUnion.gov, a website published by the National Credit Union Administration, there are numerous scams out there meant to separate you from your money, or personal information. There are some simple steps you can take, though, to make sure you don’t become a victim.
- Verify the request. You may get an email from a source that looks trustworthy. Double-check: If it’s looking for payment, or personal information, reach out to the institution yourself to see if they’ve requested it.
- Use anti-virus and anti-malware software. Criminals can lock up the information on your computer for ransom using malicious software. Protect yourself with anti-virus and anti-malware programs that keep an eye out.
- Don’t click on links you’re not expecting. You may get an email that appears to come from a source you trust—but scammers are increasingly adept at disguising themselves. Before clicking on a link or attachment, verify it is from a trusted source.
- Don’t provide account information or other sensitive information. Businesses and financial institutions will never call you for personal info.
If you ever get an email or phone call related to your finances or accounts that you’re not sure is legit, don’t think twice: Give us a call or stop by the branch. We’ll be happy to help you determine whether it’s safe. More information and the latest alerts can be found on our Common Bank Scams page.