New Money Moving Scam Uses Members' Personal CU Accounts
Summary: Credit union members seeking jobs have fallen victim to a new money moving scam. A recent case displayed a scammer’s technique, which utilized a member’s personal credit union account to move money. Be on the look out for incoming ACH credits (less than $10,000) being posted to a member’s account.  CUNA Mutual Group alerts credit unions of this risk. Please share this information with your entire credit union staff and especially your front line tellers. In addition, with the unemployment rate at an all time high, please continue to educate members about employment scams and potential risks when opportunities seem to good to be true. Details: Credit union members seeking jobs have fallen victim to a new money moving scam. A recent case displayed a scammer’s technique that utilizes a member’s personal credit union account to move money. The original funds were placed into the “newly hired” member’s account as an ACH credit. The funds were withdrawn by the member, who then went to a Western Union location to wire the funds to the scammer’s “business partners.” Be on the look out for incoming ACH credits (less than $10,000) being posted to a members account. Within a day of the ACH credit posting, the member withdraws the funds. Subsequent ACH credits come in daily to the member’s personal account. Loss Prevention Recommendations: Be aware of employment/work-at-home scams Utilize the Better Business Bureau to validate legitimacy of a company Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org Notify the credit union of employment-related activities that involve your personal accounts
	Scams Mimic Government Stimulus Package
Two Phishing Scams: Identity thieves posing as representatives of the Internal Revenue Service are sending spam e-mails promising government economic stimulus packages. Another scam that is being used promises more information on how to get “economic stimulus grants."   State(s):  ALL Type of Alert: Phishing CUNA Mutual alerts credit unions of this risk. Please pass this information on to all appropriate employees. If your credit union has experienced a loss, contact our Credit Union Protection Response Center at 1-800-637-2676. Details: Identity thieves posing as representatives of the Internal Revenue Service are sending spam e-mails promising government economic stimulus packages. The message tells the user to download an attachment that is masked as a form they must fill out and send to the IRS to receive their check. However, the document really is an identity theft tool that steals the personal information entered in the form. Another scam being used promises more information on how to get “economic stimulus grants.”  They tempt users with fake testimonials such as, “I found the grant I needed and filled out the forms and sent them in, and in about two weeks I received a check in my hand for $100,000.”  It leads to a marketing-type site in which you enter personal information such as salary range, e-mail address, mailing address, and date of birth purportedly to get a free CD that shows you how to claim one of these grants. To order the CD, you must enter credit card information for the postage and handling costs. You never get the CD—only a stolen identity. Unfortunately, the threat of fraud due to phishing attempts continues to be very active.  Fraudsters are increasing in sophistication, and this type of activity shows no sign of slowing down. In these economic times, it is even more critical to continue educating members on the various ways fraudsters try to obtain their personal information for financial gain.
	Text Message Scam
as of January 21, 2009:  Attention Membership...Please Be Aware! Someone is posing as the Buffalo Postal Community Federal Credit Union in text messages! They are attempting to get the mobile phone user to call the telephone number provided in these text messages. The fraudster then attempts to get personal account information from the mobile phone user. DO NOT RESPOND TO THESE TEXT MESSAGES! The Buffalo Community Federal Credit Union will never ask a member to provide their personal information to an unsolicited telephone call, text message, fax, letter, e-mail, or Internet advertisement. If you are unsure if something you received is legitimately from the Credit Union, call (716) 854-2458 directly and ask to speak with a member service representative. Smishing is a phishing attack sent by Short Message Service (SMS). SMS is a service that allows the transmission of text messages between mobile phones and handheld devices. The message includes a link that, when accessed, takes you to a phishing site where you are prompted to download a program—a Trojan horse that may give the criminals access to your personal information. Tips to safeguard yourself from Smishing: Never respond to unsolicited e-mails or text messages; especially coming from people or companies that you do not have a relationship with or regarding services for which you have not contracted. Contact the financial institution or merchant via the regular channels you use to communicate with them. Remember, for privacy and security, financial institutions do not arbitrarily solicit non-public information from you. Typically they would already have information based on the relationship you have previously established with them. When you are accessing any accounts online, make it a habit to check for the small yellow lock in the bottom right of your screen. If it’s unlocked – you are not in a secure area of the Website. If you receive a Smishing message, and you do want to check your account, disregard the recorded number and contact your financial institution through the customer service phonenumber on your statement or credit card.Pay attention to the URL. Fraudsters cannot exactly mimic a company’s website URL, but will often insert one letter or symbol to make it appear legitimate. Keep a record of services you sign up for on your mobile devices. If you receive a Smishing message for a service you don’t think you signed up for…you probably didn’t. Disregard the message. When in doubt, do not respond to an email, voicemail or text message regarding an account. Contact your financial institution through regular channels. If you receive multiple Phishing, Vishing or Smishing messages from a financial institution, bring it to their attention to help them uncover the fraud.
	Fraud alert:     NAFCU Express Scam
A fraudulent e-mail seeking credit card information (known as a "phishing fraud") has been circulating nationwide since 2 p.m. EST today. This fraudulent phishing email appears to be from NCUA and contains a link purportedly to obtain a subscription for the NCUA Express Subscription service. When that link is used, the recipient is directed to a "clone" of the NCUA Express Service site that seeks credit card information from those to whom the phish was sent. If you receive such an email, please ignore it, as it is fraudulent. The NCUA does NOT charge for the Express Subscription service and does NOT solicit credit card information over the Internet. If you have questions or comments, please contact the NCUA Fraud Hotline at 800-827-9650 or, during off duty hours, at 703-728-0700.
	Fraud alert: Don’t get scammed!
June 3 update: A recent phishing e-mail purporting to be from NAFCU slammed recipients’ in-boxes over the past weekend, but the site generating the message has been shut down by Cyveillance, an anti-phishing firm employed by NAFCU. If you received this e-mail, which begins with a claim of recent activity on your “account,” do not respond or forward it; delete it from your in-box. No further action is required. As always, if you receive an e-mail that appears to be from NAFCU and instructs you to go online to provide or verify or confirm financial or sensitive personal information, don’t believe it: NAFCU will never send you an e-mail asking for your credit- or debit-card, credit union or bank account information, Social Security number, login information (such as a PIN) or similarly sensitive data. NAFCU’s name, logo, and other graphics have been used fraudulently in numerous phishing e-mails aimed at tricking people into providing sensitive financial and personal data on replicated Web sites. Giving these phishers your account and other sensitive information may expose you to identity theft and other types of fraud. If you have already complied with a phishing e-mail, you should contact the institution where you maintain your account and have the information changed immediately. NAFCU has reported the phishing e-mail activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center run by the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. If you receive other suspicious e-mails and wish to verify that they are fraudulent, you may send an e-mail to abuse@nafcu.org. Please remember, however, that if a message claims some interest by NAFCU in an account you maintain and instructs you to verify account numbers or other sensitive data, it is fraudulent and should be deleted. Reports to law enforcement can be made via the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
	New Phishing Scam Sounds like Official Telephone Call
November 24, 2008 - With the holiday season approaching, shoppers increasingly use their credit and debit cards to make purchases at the mall, on the Internet, or over the telephone. When plastic card use increases this time of year, so do the scams. A new twist on phishing aims to obtain the three-digit security code printed on the back of VISA and MasterCard credit and debit cards. The phishers are trying to get enough information to perform fraudulent card-not-present transactions (Internet, telephone, and mail-order purchases). Under this scam, a telephone call is placed to a legitimate cardholder.  The caller claims to be a representative from VISA or MasterCard informing the cardholder of suspicious card activity. The caller provides details of an unusual transaction and asks if the cardholder made this purchase, which, of course, the cardholder did not. The cardholder is then asked to verify possession of the card. To do so, the cardholder is asked to read the three-digit security code on the back of the card. The fraudster then provides a control number in the event the cardholder needs to call back with questions, making the call seem legitimate. The caller does not ask for the credit or debit card number, and that is why some members are fooled into believing the call is legitimate. But the fraudster already has the card number; what they don’t have is the three-digit security code from the back of the card, and that is what they are after with this scam. The three-digit code on the back of the Visa or MasterCard card is a security tool used for non face-to-face transactions. When conducting transactions that are not face-to-face, many merchants will ask the shopper for the three-digit code to complete a card authorization. If the criminal obtains this three-digit number and already has your card number, card expiration date, and billing address, the criminal may be able to obtain authorization for fraudulent transactions.   It is critical that all members be aware of all plastic-card security measures, including the use and purpose of the three-digit code on the back of the card. You should never give that code to anyone who may contact you by telephone, Internet, or mail. This security tool is used when a card-not-present transaction is performed, and during the transaction the merchant may ask for the code to complete the authorization process. Never respond to any e-mail, telephone call, voice message, text message, or letter received through the mail that requests personal and financial information, including the three-digit number on the back of the card.
	New ‘Phishing’ Scam Uses Fake Airline Ticket
November 21, 2008 - A new e-mail “phishing” scam seeks to plant malicious software on the computers of recipients who open an attachment purportedly related to the purchase of an airline ticket. The fake e-mails use the names of various U.S. airlines including Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, US Airways, Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Midwest Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines. The e-mail messages urge recipients to confirm a ticket purchase they never ordered. The e-mail requires an entry by thanking recipients for buying the tickets using the “Buy flight ticket online” service offered by the airline. Giving fake details of the purchased ticket, it asks them to confirm the purchase by printing the invoice and the ticket after clicking on an attachment in the mail. However, when unsuspecting recipients click on the e-mail, a malicious software program downloads onto their computers. This “malware” enables the fraudsters to gain confidential information such as credit card access codes, Social Security numbers, and net banking passwords by allowing them remote access to the computers.. Airlines say there are a couple of things inside the mail that should warn people of the scam. The e-mails contain mistakes in spelling and grammar, and the formats in which the itineraries are presented are different than those used by the airlines. You should be aware that these e-mails are not coming from the airline. If the format does not look familiar to you, and you have not recently purchased a ticket, do not open the attachment. Delete the e-mail right away. Below is an example of an e-mail received by a credit union executive: From: Hawaiian Airlines [mailto:tegoo@qq.com] Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 4:24 PM To: James Mxxxx Subject: Your flight ticket Dear Valued Customer Thank you for using our new service ‘Buy airplane ticket Online” on our website. Your account has been created: Your login: 1mooreDacu,com Your password: PASS8QBE Your credit card has been charged for $424.85. We would like to remind you that whenever you order tickets on our website you get a discount of 10%! Attached to this message is the purchase Invoice and the airplane ticket. To use your ticket, simply print it on a color printed, and you are set to take off for the journey! Kind regards, Hawaiian Airlines
	WARNING - NEW Verified by VISA Phishing Scheme!
The Credit Union would like to advise you of a fraudulent email being sent to cardholders who participate in Verified by VISA. The email claims to be from Visa and states that the cardholder was automatically enrolled in Verified by VISA. The email also states that the cardholder's Visa card may be temporarily disabled if they failed to update their Visa card. This email is a phishing scam and did not come from Visa. Phishing is a form of fraud that attempts to trick the cardholder into revealing personal information, such as their credit or debit account numbers, share draft (checking) account information, social security numbers, or online banking account passwords through fake websites or in a reply email. Visa will NEVER ask cardholders to divulge account information or passwords via email. If you should receive any questionable emails, we ask that you DO NOT reply to them or contact the website referenced in the email. You can report any suspicious emails regarding Visa by sending and email to phishing@visa.com. The Buffalo Postal Community Federal Credit Union asks that you beware of any situation resembling this scam. If you notice anything out of the ordinary and/or suspicious, please notify our office immediately at 716 854-2458.
	WARNING - Credit Union Email Scam!
A new Credit Union scam has surfaced this past weekend. Below is a brief summary of the latest phishing attempt. The email subject line will read "Congratulations", the body of the message will inform the member that they were chosen to recieve $50 to complete a small 5 question survey. CUNA is aware of the new phishing emails in the form of surveys asking for feedback on your financial institution. These messages are scams and should be deleted. There is no monetary award for filling out the form -- this is an identity theft scam. CUNA will never solicit e-mails requesting your credit union username, password, pin number, or other personal identity information. ALSO, PLEASE BE AWARE, the Credit Union will never ask you to click on a link within an email to request any information! It is important to remember that under Federal Law, banking institutions of all types are prohibited from requesting confidential information from it's customers via email. DO NOT provide any information via this website link. The Buffalo Community Federal Credit Union asks that you beware of any situation resembling this scam. If you notice anything out of the ordinary and/or suspicious, please notify our office immediately at 716 854-2458.
	Social Security Phishing Scam!
The Social Security Administration issued a warning about a new e-mail scam being circulated with the subject, "Cost-of-Living for 2007 Update". The message appears to be from Social Security and provides information about the benefit increase for 2007. It contains the following, "NOTE: We now need you to update your personal information. If this is not completed by November 11, 2006, we will be forced to suspend your account indefinitely." The reader is then directed to a website designed to look like Social Security's internet website. Once directed to the phony site, the individual is asked to register for a password and to confirm their identity by providing personal information such as their social security number, bank account information and credit card information. This is obviously a scam. Always take immeasurable precautions when giving out any personal information. You should NEVER provide your social security number or other personal information over the internet or by telephone unless you are extremely confident of the source to whom you are providing the information. To report receipt of this e-mail message or other suspicious activity to Social Security's Office of the Inspector General, please call the OIG hotline at 1-800-269-0271. A public fraud reporting form is also available online at OIG's website, at www.socialsecurity.gov/oig or simply contact the credit union at 716 854-2458.
	VISA Credit Card Fraud
SCAM METHOD: Visa USA Fraud Control has learned of a scam designed to obtain cardholders personal data and account information. Visa reports this activity in Canada, but suspects it may spread to the United States. A member/cardholder may receive the following letter: "VISA Departement of International Ivestigations. Dear ......., We regret to inform you that your credit card is cancelled until Further notice and this in accordance with article 205 of chapter 210 of the international fraud departement. We suspect that your card has been involved in criminal activity. In the next two days one of our investigatiors will contact you on the phone and proceed to verify your customer information. The violation of this law is a serious criminal act and could bring you before the courts. Your bank will not be able to assist you until our investigation is over. We are advising you that our offices are openned 24 hrs a day. For furhther information on the matter you may visit our web site at HTTP/WWW>VISAFRAUD.COM Yours truly, XXXXX.... Director Visa Corporation" Visa reports it is not sending this letter. Please advise your members not to respond to this letter or any subsequent telephone calls. Also report to Visa USA Fraud Control, if any of your members receive this or a similar letter.
	The Newest Type of Internet Piracy - Phishing, BE AWARE!
Phishing is the newest type of Internet piracy. Internet thieves are looking to obtain your personal financial information usually through an e-mail or, in some cases, a telephone call that appears to be coming from a reputable company. Here's what you can do to stop them and protect yourself? NEVER provide personal financial information (i.e. Social Security number, account numbers, PIN numbers, passwords) if you did not initiate the contact. NEVER click on a link provided in an e-mail you believe to be fraudulent. IF you believe the contact may be legitimate, contact the financial institution yourself. The key is that YOU should be the one to initiate the contact. DO NOT be intimidated by an e-mail or caller who suggests dire consequences if you do not immediately provide or verify financial information. REVIEW account statements regularly to ensure all charges/activity are correct. You may want to take advantage of electronic account access (i.e. Virtual Branch Home Banking or E-Z Access Audio Response) to periodically review activity online to catch suspicious activity. IF you fall victim to an attack, ACT IMMEDIATELY to protect yourself. Alert your financial institution. Place fraud alerts on your credit files and report suspicious e-mails or calls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). File a complaint at www.ftc.gov. You can visit the FTC's Identity Theft website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft to learn how to minimize you risk!
The Buffalo Community Federal Credit Union asks that you beware of any situation resembling this scam. If you notice anything out of the ordinary and/or suspicious, please notify our main office immediately at 716 854-2458. Your Credit Union is committed to protecting the privacy of its members.  Regular non-encrypted Internet email is not secure.  Messages sent via any department links from our website are not secure and should never contain any personal or sensitive information such as account numbers, social security numbers, passwords, etc.  Our staff will never reply back to these email messages with confidential member information. Email messages initiated through our Home Banking service, Virtual Branch, are fully secure through SSL.