FRAUD
AWARENESS

Matadors Community CU will NEVER ask for your Social Security Number, Credit or Debit Card Numbers, CVV, PIN, Address, Date of Birth, Online Banking Login, Verification Codes, or Passwords.​​​​​

​

If someone contacts you asking for this information, hang up immediately. If you receive a suspicious email, text, or pop-up, stop and think before clicking any links. 

 

Protect Your Money: Don’t Fall for Credit Union Scams

​

Imagine waking up to a notification saying there’s been “suspicious activity” on your credit union account. Your heart races—was your debit card hacked? Has someone drained your savings? You quickly reply to the message, desperate to secure your funds. But in that moment of panic, you may have just handed your personal and financial information to a scammer.

​

Fraudsters are getting smarter, posing as your credit union to trick you into giving away sensitive details before you even realize what’s happening. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself locked out of your own account, dealing with unauthorized withdrawals, or even worse—losing your hard-earned money.
 

How the Scam Works

​

Scammers send texts or emails that look just like real fraud alerts from your credit union. They might even include personal details, such as your past addresses or the last four digits of your account number, to make the message seem legitimate. 

​

Once you respond, they take it a step further by calling you, spoofing your credit union’s official phone number. The caller pretends to be from the fraud department, claiming they need your online banking login, PIN, or card security code to “protect” your account.

But here’s the truth: No real credit union will ever ask for this information. If you share it, the scammers can lock you out of your own account and steal your money within minutes. 

​

Signs of a Scam

​

• Requests for private information – Your credit union will never ask for passwords, PINs, or security codes.

• Extreme urgency – Scammers want you to panic, claiming your account will be locked or emptied if you don’t act fast.

• Suspicious sender details – Official fraud alerts come from short codes, not personal 10-digit numbers.

• Poor grammar and typos – Many scam messages have errors that a real financial institution wouldn’t make.
   

How to Protect Yourself

 

Take control and stop scammers in their tracks:

• NEVER click on unknown links – Go directly to your credit union’s website instead.

• Verify before you act – If you get a suspicious call or message, hang up and contact your credit union directly using the official number on their website.

• Guard your details – Never share personal banking information over the phone or text.

• Ignore unexpected messages – Even replying “STOP” can let scammers know your number is active, leading to more fraud attempts.
   

Stay One Step Ahead

Scammers rely on fear to manipulate you, but staying informed is your best defense. If something feels off, trust your instincts and double-check before you take action.

 

Stay vigilant. Stay protected. Visit our blogs to learn more about ongoing scams and how to keep your financial information safe.