There are Many Types of Fraud

Don't be a Victim

Wire Scams
 
Scammers pressure you to wire money to them because it's easy to take your money and disappear. Wiring money with services like Moneygram, Ria, and Western Union is like sending cash-once you send it, you usually can't get it back. Never wire money to anyone you haven't met in person- no matter the reason they give.
 
Read More on the FTC Website
Job Scams
 
Scammers advertise jobs the same way honest employers do — online (in ads, on job sites, and social media), in newspapers, and sometimes on TV and radio. They promise you a job, but what they want is your money and your personal information. Here are some examples of jobs scams and advice on how to avoid them. 
 
Read More on the FTC Website
Prize Scams
 
You get a call, email, or letter saying you won a sweepstakes, lottery, or prize — like an iPad, a new car, or something else. But you know it’s a scam because of what they do next: they ask you to pay money or give them your account information to get the prize. If you pay, you’ll lose your money and find out there is no prize. 
 
Read More on the FTC Website
Fake Check Scams
 
In a fake check scam, a person you don’t know asks you to deposit a check. It’s usually for more than they owe you, and it’s sometimes for several thousand dollars. They tell you to send some of the money back to them or to another person. They always have a good story to explain why you can’t keep all the money. They might say they need you to cover taxes or fees for a prize, to buy supplies for a job, to send back money they overpaid, or something else. But this is a scam. Here’s how to spot it. 
 
Read More on the FTC Website

Romance Scams

Someone contacts you on social media — and they’re interested in getting to know you. Or maybe you meet someone special on a dating website or mobile app. Soon the person wants to write to you directly or start talking on the phone. They say it’s true love, but they live far away — maybe because of work, or because they’re in the military. Then they start asking for money. Maybe it’s for a plane ticket to visit you. Or emergency surgery. Or something else urgent.

 

Read More on the FTC Website

Phishing
 
You get an email that looks like it's from someone you know. It seems to be from one of your company’s vendors and asks that you click on a link to update your business account. Should you click? Maybe it looks like it’s from your boss and asks for your network password. Should you reply? In either case, probably not. These may be phishing attempts.
 
Read More on the FTC Website



...and many more










Tips to ensure the security of your account:

  1. Never share your username or password with anyone. Passwords are secure and no one at MCECU will ask you for this information.
  2. Be selective when giving your debit and credit card information out, and never share your PIN number.
  3. Practice restraint. If something seems too good to be true, it likely is.
  4. If anyone offers to send you money and asks for money back or asks you to send the money to someone else, it is fraud. The transaction will be returned and will leave you on the hook for the amount.
  5. Monitor your accounts often and take advantage of our online/mobile alerts. Report any suspicious or unauthorized activity immediately to our Member Service Center at 901-321-1200.





How to Recover from Identity Theft

 

By: Federal Trade Commission Resource                                                               

We get it. You hoped the day would never come when you learned someone used your personal information to open new credit accounts in your name. But it did. So now what? Act fast. It can help reduce the damage identity theft can cause. Here’s how to get started.

Step 1: Call the companies where you know fraud occurred.

  • Call the fraud department. Explain that someone stole your identity.
  • Ask them to close or freeze the accounts. Then, no one can add new charges unless you agree.
  • Change logins, passwords, and PINs for your accounts.


Step 2: Place a fraud alert and get your credit reports — even if you already have a credit freeze in place. (If you haven’t frozen your credit, do that, too.) When you have a fraud alert on your credit report, a business has to verify your identity before it opens a new credit account in your name. A fraud alert lasts one year, but you can renew it.

 
  • To get your report, call Annual Credit Report at 877-322-8228, or go to AnnualCreditReport.com. Federal law gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. The three bureaus also let you check your credit report once a week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Review your reports. Look for accounts or transactions you don’t recognize.


Step 3: Report identity theft to the FTC. You’ll get a free personal recovery plan with next steps.

  • To report in English, go to IdentityTheft.gov
  • To report in Spanish, go to RobodeIdentidad.gov
  • If you’re more comfortable reporting in another language, call 877-438-4338 and press 3 to report in your preferred language. Interpreters are available from 9:00am – 5:00pm ET.