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"Phishing" attacks are on the rise, and Wings Financial offers information to help you watch for these scams. Phishing is the act of trying to obtain personal information for fraud purposes via email. Often, the email will lead to a look-alike Web site or log-in screen of a legitimate company to try and trick people into providing their personal information. At the Web site, they will often ask for sensitive information like credit card, bank account, or Social Security numbers. The scammers then use the information to order goods and services or to obtain credit. Many times, thieves send e-mails pretending to be from businesses that potential victims actually deal with, making it even more difficult to tell whether or not the email is legitimate.
Wings Financial does not ask for personal information via email. If you receive a suspect email, do not click the links or submit any personal information. Report the email to a member services representative immediately. The representative may then ask you to forward a copy of the email to the credit union.
One of the most common phishing emails warns you that your account will be shut down unless you update or validate billing information, and another warns you of unauthorized access to your account. If you receive one of these, you may have recieved a "phishing" email. These are just a couple of examples; scammers are constantly trying new ways to trick people into giving up their personal information.
Avoid getting caught by a phishing scam with these tips:
- Contact any company that requests personal or financial information to verify authenticity. If you did not initiate the request, politely tell the company that you do not submit personal information in this manner.
- Refrain from e-mailing sensitive information such as account numbers or your SSN.
- Review credit card and account statements as soon as you receive them for any fraudulent activity, or monitor accounts regularly online.
- Don't be fooled by authentic-looking graphics or Web addresses. Some thieves are very careful to make the scam look legitimate.
- Be aware that Wings Financial FCU (and most other financial institutions) will never send e-mails asking members to log in or provide personal information such as Social Security Numbers.
If you believe you've been scammed, you can file a complaint at the Federal Trade Commission's Web site, http://www.ftc.gov/ [external link disclosure], or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. If a credit card or other account may have been compromised, call the appropriate financial institution immediately. Wings Financial members can call the Lost/Stolen Check or Credit Card numbers listed on the Contact Us page.
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