EMAIL SCAMS

Email scams are one of the fastest-growing forms of fraud today. The Federal Trade Commission is investigating fraudulent emails, pop-up ads and phony websites that attempt to trick people into providing confidential personal information.

About Email Scams
At least 970,000 Americans have been defrauded by "phishing" attacks according to an April 2004 Gartner survey. Internet "phishing" involves a bogus email message that uses legitimate materials such as an organization's website graphics and logos in an attempt to trick people into divulging personal account information, credit card and Social Security numbers that can lead to identity theft and other crimes.

Note:  LFCU will never ask you to divulge your personal data as a means to "update" or "validate" your account online.

Prevent Email Scams
Like many scams, email scams prey on the unaware. Here's how you can fight back:

1. Delete any email without opening it if you don't recognize the sender.
   
   
2. Never respond to an unsolicited email that asks for personal financial information, requests your authentication, or indicates a problem with your accounts using urgent or exaggerated claims. If you receive an email like this, do not reply. Instead, call the LFCU Member Service Center at  (800) 328-5328 to verify the legitimacy of the email.
   
   
3. Do not open attachments. LFCU does not send email attachments unless they were requested.
   
   
4. Read the text of the mail several times and ask yourself why the requested information would really be needed.
   
   
5. Contact the organization that sent the email to report anything suspicious. Use a telephone number that you know to be legitimate.
   
   
6. Use virus protection software and keep the virus lists current.
   
   
7. Keep your computer operating system and web browser up-to-date.
   

Report Email Scams
If you think you have received a suspicious email, pop-up ad or have been directed to a suspicious looking website, file an FTC Consumer Complaint and an IFCC Complaint. If you have entered personal information in response, you should act immediately to reduce the risk of becoming a victim. Here's what to do:

1. Report the incident to the LFCU Member Service Center at (800) 328-5328.
   
   
2. Contact the credit bureaus and instruct them to flag your accounts with a "fraud alert."
   
   Equifax Fraud Hotline (800) 525-6285
   Experian Fraud Hotline (888) 397-3742
   TransUnion Fraud Hotline (800) 680-7289
   
   
3. Contact credit card companies if you provided credit card account information in the phishing scam. Close any affected accounts so that they're registered as "closed at customer request."
   
   In a few months, order new copies of your credit reports to verify your corrections and changes, and to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
   
   
4. File an FTC Identity Theft Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission or call the FTC Identity Theft Hotline at (877) 438-4338.
   
   
5. File an SSA Fraud Report with the Social Security Administration if you entered your Social Security number in the response. You can also call the SSA Fraud Hotline at (800) 269-0271.

As an LFCU member, the security of your accounts and personal information are important to us. We will work in cooperation with you and law enforcement agencies to investigate any suspicious activity.

Click here for additional resources on email fraud.

Attempts at fraudulent activity are not limited to email. Learn more about how to protect yourself from other types of fraudulent activity.