Read the full article on How to Avoid Sophisticated Smishing Scams

Learn how to avoid scams while keeping your identity and finances secure.

Featured Scam: Smishing

Tips to Stay Safe

Victim Support

Other Common Scams

NCUA Fraud Prevention

We require Multifactor Authentication to log in to online banking. Never share your MFA code sent via text, email, or phone call with anyone.

Do not share your online banking credentials. You should never have to give out your online banking credentials to receive a deposit. Please call the credit union immediately if you have shared your credentials with anyone.

Make sure you personally know the person/people you interact with online. Many times fraudsters will replicate one of your friends on Facebook or other social media accounts and trick you into believing they are someone they’re not. Many times they will form relationships including romantic relationships with their victims in order to convince them to send them money or cash fraudulent checks.

Do not open emails or click on links from people you do not know. This will prevent others from downloading malware or viruses on your PC.

If you’ve received a deposit in your account that you are not familiar with, make sure you verify that deposit with the credit union before using those funds.

If you’ve sold something online and the buyer sends you more money than the amount the item sold for, make sure to ask more questions. If that person asks you to wire or transfer funds to them (for the overage they sent) via Western Union for something they bought from you, make sure you verify the transaction with the credit union before proceeding.

If you’ve been informed of a sweepstakes or lottery you’ve won, but have never entered a lottery or sweepstakes please inform the credit union before sending any funds or cashing any checks associated with the winnings.

The IRS collects from individuals via phone, mail, etc. Be sure to check with the IRS directly (from a phone number you’ve retrieved online) to make sure you owe funds to them before sending anyone any funds.

If you have been a victim of a scam or other fraud, there are multiple ways you can protect yourself and your financial information. Here are some actions to take if you are a victim of fraud:

Place a Credit Freeze or Fraud Alert

Placing a Credit Freeze or Fraud Alert on your credit reports with the credit bureaus listed below by visiting their websites or over the phone by using the contact information below:

TransUnion
www.transunion.com
Disputes: 833-395-6941
Fraud Alert line: 800-680-7289
Credit Freeze line: 888-909-8872

Experian
www.experian.com
Fraud or ID Theft line: 1-888-397-3742

Equifax
www.equifax.com
Disputes: 866-349-5191
Fraud Alert line: 888-836-6351
Security Freeze line: 888-298-0045

Innovis
www.innovis.com
1-800-540-2505

Identity Protection Pin (IP PIN)

Consider applying for an Identity Protection Pin (IP PIN) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prevent someone else from fraudulently filing for a tax refund using your name or Social Security Number. You can find more information about an IP PIN on the IRS website at irs.gov.

Enhance Security for Accounts

Add a code word to your Liberty Federal Credit Union (Liberty FCU) account(s). Do not share your code word with others.

Pull Free Credit Report

Consider obtaining a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. You can check your credit report to make sure there are not fraudulently opened accounts or loans in your name. If there are fraudulently opened accounts or loans on your credit report, you can dispute these with the four major credit bureaus using the contact information provided above.

Fill Out an Identity Theft Report

If you are a victim of identity theft, consider filing an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission at identitytheft.gov.

Online Banking

Learn how to avoid scams while keeping your identity and finances secure.

If you have been a victim of a scam or other fraud, there are multiple ways you can protect yourself and your financial information. Here are some actions to take if you are a victim of fraud: