Doing what we can to keep our members safe.

Fraud & Scam Alerts: Protect Yourself

We are committed to helping our members avoid the threat of identity theft and to provide resources to protect yourself.

Never disclose any personal identifying information if requested from an unsolicited email, text message or phone call that may seem like it’s been sent from or calling you from United Financial Credit Union. They may seem reasonable to answer, but United Financial never requests information in this manner.

DO NOT SHARE THIS INFORMATION:

· Debit Card Number, Expiration Date or PIN
· Online Banking Log In Details
· Account information
· Social Security Number

United Financial will never ask you for your personal information in an email or text, never respond to emails asking for your passwords, Social Security Number, or other personal/financial information.

 

How to Protect Yourself

Hang Up and Verify Independently

If a caller claims there is an urgent problem with your account, hang up immediately.

• Call your credit union using the official phone number found on:
  • The back of your debit or credit card
  • Your monthly statement
  • The official website
• Never use a phone number provided by the suspicious caller

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Never Share One-Time Passcodes

Scammers may attempt to trick you into sharing a one-time security code (2FA).

• These codes are meant only for you
• Legitimate financial institutions will never ask you to read them aloud

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Beware of “Safe Account” Transfer Requests

Fraudsters often create panic by claiming your money is at risk.

• They may instruct you to move your funds to a “safe” account
• This is a scam tactic
• A legitimate representative will never ask you to transfer your money to protect it

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Do Not Grant Remote Access

Scammers may ask you to download software or grant access to your device.

• Common tools include AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or similar apps
• This allows them to control your device and steal information
• Refuse immediately and disconnect

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Additional Safety Tips

• Monitor your accounts regularly for unusual activity
• Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication
• Be cautious of unexpected emails, texts, or calls
• Never click suspicious links or download unknown attachments

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What To Do If You Suspect Fraud

If you believe you’ve been targeted or compromised:

1. Contact your credit union immediately using a trusted number
2. Secure your accounts (change passwords, enable alerts)
3. Report the incident so we can help protect you and others

 

Here are some tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
• Do not give our personal/financial information over the phone, email or text.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Scan the attachments for viruses if possible.
• Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
• If you are asked to act quickly, or there is an emergency, it may be a scam. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.
• If you receive a check or a message stating you “won” something…but need to send money back to the original person. Do Not Do It.   This is a scam. You did not win a lottery that you did not play.

 

 

Phishing is the attempt to solicit your personal information such as your username, password or Social Security Number by an untrustworthy entity. You should never reply to these requests. Instead you should delete the message and all future phishing messages. If you responded to a phishing email with your personal password, you should change your password as soon as possible.

Spoofing is a type of scam in which a criminal disguises an email address, display name, phone number, text message, or website URL to convince a target that they are interacting with a known, trusted source. Spoofing often involves changing just one letter, number, or symbol of the communication so that it looks valid at a quick glance.

Internet fraud refers to the use of Internet services to present fraudulent solicitations to prospective victims, to conduct fraudulent transactions, or to transmit the proceeds of fraud to financial institutions or to others connected with the scheme. Internet fraud can occur in email, chat rooms, message boards or on websites.

Check out our blog articles about recent scams and additional ways to protect yourself.