Fraud & Security Alerts

Phishing is when attackers send fraudulent emails pretending to be from a reputable company to convince individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. Sometimes these phishing emails include links to get you to download malware on your computer which could allow them to remotely access your device.

Phishing emails will often:

• Contain poor grammar and spelling mistakes, especially in the email address.
• Have inconsistencies in email addresses, links, and domain names.
• Use public email domains such as @gmail.com or @yahoo.com, as opposed to an official organization email domain.
• Request login credentials, payment information, or sensitive data or ask you to click on suspicious attachments.
• Create a false sense of urgency.

Social Engineering is a form of phycological manipulation that attempts to take advantage of your trust and curiosity by presenting a request that appears to be urgent. Social engineering is used in multiple attack types, such as phishing and pretexting—where the attacker creates a fake identity and scenario in attempt to get you to provide personal or financial information that could put you at risk.

Social engineering attempts will often:

• Feature many of the same phishing tactics listed above.
• Appear to be from a legitimate source but are asking for information that the organization wouldn’t usually ask for over the phone or by email.
• Request login credentials, payment information, or sensitive data.
• Attempt to take advantage of your natural curiosity to click on a legitimate looking link, or to take an action that could put you at risk.
• Create a false sense of urgency.

Phishing and Social engineering are among the most common types of scams.

Scammers sometimes pose as collection agencies demanding payment for bogus outstanding debts and threatening you to send them payment immediately.

Debt Collection Fraud calls will often:

• Withhold key information from you including the name of the creditor.
• Pressure you to pay by money transfer or a prepaid debit card.
• Threaten you with jail time or even suggest they are a government official.
• Claim that you will have a derogatory make on your credit if you do not pay now.
• Offer to help you “settle a past-due debt” by making a payment today.

Credit and Debit Card Fraud is when someone steals, finds, or obtains the information from the card to purchase goods or withdraw cash.

ATM/ Debit Card Fraud continues to be a growing security concern both domestically and worldwide. To prevent fraudulent activity, The Atlantic Federal Credit Union regularly monitors alerts and may block suspicious transactions or transactions taking place in locations identified as high fraud areas.

To learn more about locations where transactions are currently blocked, please contact Member Services at 908.245.1750 before you travel. It’s also a good idea notify The Atlantic Federal Credit Union before you travel abroad to alert them that you plan to use your card internationally.

Phone Spoofing is when scammers utilize technology to call you from what appears to be the phone number of a credible organization you conduct business with. The caller attempts to trick you into believing that they are an authorized representative of the organization they are impersonating.

For instance, if you get a call from someone claiming to be a representative of The Atlantic Federal Credit Union, who is asking you to divulge personal information such as account information, debit or credit card information, or online banking credentials, know that The Atlantic would never call you to request this information.

Should you receive a call such as this and have any concerns about its legitimacy, ask to take down the caller's information and call back number. If you have further questions, feel free to call us at 908.245.1750.