FRAUD WATCHLIST

We are committed to helping our members maintain the security of their accounts and personal information. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with this list of recent scams and be sure to bookmark this page and check back periodically.

• IRS Warns of New Scams
  With phone and email scams related to tax season and economic stimulus payments, fraudsters are looking to gather taxpayers' financial account and personal information. Find out how to protect yourself. Click here to learn more.
  
  
• Don't Get Scammed
  New "Jury Duty" identity theft scam tricks consumers into revealing personal information. Don't be fooled! Click here to learn more.
  
  
• eBay and PayPal "phishing" emails. These emails ask for account information to "verify" recent account activity, some may include legitimate looking warnings of possible fraudulent purchases. 
  
  
• Telephone calls where somebody pretending to be from your bank or financial institution needs information for an IRS audit.
  
  
• Stealing mail from your mailbox and rifling through to find your legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number¡Xthe starter set for identity theft.
  
  
• "Dumpster diving" through your garbage to find credit card applications that you threw away and didn't shred. An identity thief will check the change-of-address box, fill in your information, and a new credit card in your name will be sent to his or her P.O. box.
  
  
• "Shoulder surfing" - Are you squinting at your credit card as you hold it a few feet away to read the numbers to a sales rep in a store or on your phone? An identity thief may be watching or listening.
  
  
• Text message scams
  Never reply to a text message asking you to send a text response with your bank account or personal identification numbers. No legitimate financial institution will ever ask its customers to verify their PIN via an unsolicited text message, email or even phone call. When in doubt, call the organization back at a number you know to be valid. Don't let fraudsters get a hold of your personal information.
  
  
• Financial crimes against the elderly
  Older individuals may be more susceptible to financial exploitation and fraud simply because many have assets in the form of savings, stocks, insurance policies, and property. Scams targeted towards the elderly include identity theft, illegitimate lending practices, unsolicited email, international lottery scams, telemarketing fraud, and home repair scams. Click here for additional resources.
  
  
• Fake IRS emails indicating a tax refund
  These emails claiming to be from the IRS and using the from name "tax refunds@irs.gov" inform the recipient that they are eligible to receive a tax refund for a specific amount. The email directs the recipient to a link that requests personal information such as Social Security number and credit card information. The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited emails. Anyone receiving such an email should not open any attachments because they may contain a malicious code that will infect your computer. Call the IRS directly at (800) 829-1040 to determine if they are trying to contact you about a tax refund.
  
  
• More current scams:  The Identity Theft Resource Center has posted a list of Scams & Consumer Alerts on their website. It is updated every 6 weeks and more frequently if a major scam alert needs to be publicized.

If you feel you have been a victim of a scam or fraud, you should report it immediately.

Learn more about how to protect yourself from other types of fraudulent activity.