Safety & SECURITY

It is important to learn about ID Theft and Fraud to help you prevent and protect your financial and personal identity.

In the first nine months of 2020, we took $135,215.11 in fraud losses. We can help you reduce the risk of fraud and you can help us by:

Using Secure Checking
Using your credit/debit chip instead of your magnet strip
Sign up for email and text alerts in HomeBranch

fraud alerts

October 1, 2020

Please note that People’s Trust has become aware of a recent pop-up scam where members have received a pop-up that appears to be from Microsoft telling them that their computer has been hacked and to call the number on the pop-up. The person that answers the call tells the member that their People’s Trust account has been hacked and they will transfer the call to a People’s Trust Representative. Once they are transferred, they are told by who they think is a People’s Trust Representative to withdraw the money from their account and send the funds to another account to keep it safe from the hackers. Then the money gets transferred to the hackers account and never seen again.

If you get a similar pop-up, please do not call the number on the pop-up as it is fraud. People's Trust will never ask you to withdraw money from your account to transfer to a different account that hasn’t been established with your membership.

If you aren't sure about the authenticity of any pop-ups, e-mail, text message, or fax, do not follow any directions given in the message, do not click any links, or respond in any other way. If you observe any fraudulent activity on your account, please contact us at 713.428.3200, or visit one of our branch locations.

identity theft

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as name, social security number, driver’s license number, or credit card number without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Stealing an identity is, unfortunately, somewhat easy to do and happens when you least expect it. Be on your guard, the effect of identity theft can be costly to you in terms of time and money as well as have a negative impact on your credit report.

The use of your personal information can have a serious impact on your personal and financial life. Potential damage that can occur includes:

Damaged credit record
Loss of job opportunities
Refused loans for education, housing or cars
Large amount of time and money to clear your name and regain your identity

Identity theft can happen to anyone. ID thieves do not choose their victims based on age, sex or race. It is very easy to become a victim of identity theft if you:

Don't take precautions with your personal information and who you give it to
Are careless about using your ATM, credit cards and leaving receipts behind
Throw away financial documents such as bank statements without shredding them first.

How to Prevent Identity Theft

The following steps are a good start to protecting your identity:

Sign up for e-Statements to reduce mail fraud
Don't give out personal information when asked over the phone or through email
Protect your personal information (PIN numbers, birth certificates, passports, financial statements, etc.) in a secure place at home
Shred documents with personal information including credit card offers that come through the mail
Protect your social security number
Instead of having checks mailed to your home, pick them up at the credit union
Mail bills from locked mailbox or Post Office as your check and information can be stolen from an open mailbox
Be on the lookout for those peaking over your shoulder when entering your PIN at ATM's and store checkouts
Use electronic deposit for paychecks, and other payments
In a safe place, keep a list of credit/share draft account numbers, expiration dates, and phone numbers to report theft
Look out for suspicious or unknown activity

When protecting yourself from identity theft, it is important to be alert. By routinely checking your account and billing statements, you can be aware of any suspicious or unusual activity.

A few signs of suspicious activity include:

Fraudulent charges on your monthly credit card or financial statements
Not receiving your statements as usual or any mail for several days
Receiving bills from unknown companies you did not open accounts with
Credit collection agencies call regarding debts you do not have

What To Do if You Become a Victim

If you believe you have become a victim of identity theft, it is important to act quickly.

First, contact the fraud department from one of the three credit bureaus. Ask them to place a fraud alert on your accounts. It is also important to get a free copy of your credit report to see if and how many fraudulent accounts were opened in your name. If there are any opened, close them immediately.

Experian
Order Report: 888-397-3742
Fraud Unit: 888-397-3742
experian.com

Transunion
Order Report: 800-888-4213
Fraud Unit: 800-680-7289
transunion.com

Equifax
Order Report: 800-685-1111
Fraud Unit: 800-525-6285
Equifax.com

Next, file a police report and get a copy of the report for your records. This will help you get information from the creditors about the fraudulent accounts.

From there, close all the accounts opened or used fraudulently by contacting the company's fraud department. It is also important to follow up in writing and send copies of the documents that support your claim including the police report. Remember to send copies and not originals of the documents.

Once you have resolved a disputed charge, it is important to ask for a letter stating that the matter has been closed. Remember to keep all copies and originals of your documents and correspondence with companies where accounts were opened or used fraudulently.

Finally, file a complaint with the FTC (www.ftc.gov/idtheft) or 1-877-ID-THEFT. This will help law enforcement officials across the country with their investigations. In addition, the FTC provides counselors to help you through this difficult time.

phishing

What is Phishing?

"Phishing" is a method of fraudulently acquiring personal information using e-mail and pop-up windows disguised as legitimate requests from trusted sources such as credit unions, banks and even government offices.

The sender of these communications may include a company’s logo or tagline along with a message of urgency regarding a problem with an account or a need to validate personal information. The sender uses these methods in an attempt to fraudulently acquire passwords, account numbers, credit card details and other personal information.

The scam may go as far as "spoofing" or creating a false website to further gain the recipient’s trust. These scams also use automated phone calls in an attempt to gather personal information (sometimes called "vishing").

How to Prevent Phishing

Consider these tips while conducting online activities:

People’s Trust Federal Credit Union does not and will never request personal financial information via e-mail or pop-up boxes. If you receive any suspicious e-mail regarding People’s Trust Federal Credit Union, please forward the e-mail in its entirety to help@unbanking.org. Do not provide any information to any unknown source.
Be suspicious of any unsolicited e-mail requesting personal financial information. These requests may ask for usernames and passwords, PINS, CVV and CV2 codes from the back of your credit and debit cards, social security numbers, account numbers, etc. Never provide this information unless you are using a known secured website or calling directly over the telephone.
Do not use the links provided in suspicious e-mails. Rather, contact the company directly using phone numbers and websites provided via official statements or other documentation.
When conducting online transactions, always ensure you are using a secure website. Your browser’s address bar should include "https://" in front of the web address.
Consider the use of pop-up blockers and firewalls to protect your computer from unsolicited messages and uninvited software installations.
Ensure that your internet browser and any security software are up to date by checking with their manufacturers.

Reviewing your financial institution monthly statements and credit card statements regularly will help to keep you informed of any unauthorized account activity. You should also log in to any online accounts periodically between statement cycles to correct issues as soon as possible.

What To Do if You Become a Victim

If you have been a victim of "phishing", take immediate steps to minimize the effects on your personal accounts and your identity:

Report the theft to the three major credit reporting agencies:
- Request that they place a fraud alert and a victim’s statement in your file
- Request a FREE copy of your credit report to check whether any accounts were opened without your consent
- Request that the agencies remove inquiries and/or fraudulent accounts stemming from the theft
Report the activity to your credit card, debit card or ATM card issuer. Many issuers provide toll-free numbers and are available 24 hours a day.
Report the incident to your local police department
Close your existing deposit and checking accounts and reopen them with new account numbers
Obtain copies of your latest statements and carefully review them for any unauthorized activity. If you have online access to these accounts, you may be able to obtain activity not listed on your accounts.
Update or install virus protection software on your PC and run a full scan
Update or install a firewall to avoid any unwanted software installations
Contact the Social Security Administration’s Fraud Hotline to report the unauthorized use of your personal identification information
Notify the Department of Motor Vehicles of your identity theft: Check to see whether any unauthorized license numbers have been issued in your name
Notify the passport office to watch out for anyone ordering a passport in your name