Common Scams

Scammers can use the illegal technique of smishing to target people with deceptive text messages sent to their smart devices. Smishing scammers send a fake message to your phone, often containing an offer for a free product or an urgent alert regarding sensitive information. These scammers may also try to entice you into downloading malware to your device.

• Here are some good ways to avoid being a victim of a smishing attempt:
• Never click links, reply to text messages, or call numbers you don't recognize.
• Do not respond, even if the message requests that you "text STOP" to end messages.
• Delete all suspicious texts.
• Make sure your smart device operating system and security apps are updated to the latest version.
• Consider installing anti-malware software on your device for added security.

For more information about smishing, see www.fcc.gov/avoid-temptation-smishing-scams.

If you believe someone is attempting to impersonate Hawaii Community FCU to obtain private or financial information from you illegitimately, contact us immediately.

Click here to visit our Security Center for more tips and information.

Source: Federal Communications Commission

Avoid spoofing scams.

Phone scammers often disguise their identity by using illegal spoofing techniques to send false information to your caller ID display. To trick you into answering, spoofers may use local area codes and numbers that look familiar. Or they may impersonate a company you do business with, such as a local utility, or even a government agency.

Stay informed

Here are some good ways to avoid being spoofed:

• Don't answer calls from unknown numbers.
• If you answer and it's not who you expected, don't hang on, hang up.
• If a caller asks you to hit a button to stop getting calls, just hang up.
• Never assume an unexpected call is legitimate. Hang up and call back using a number you can verify on a bill, a statement, or an official website.
• Be suspicious. Con artists can be very convincing: They may ask innocuous questions, or sound threatening, or sometimes seem too good to be true.
• Don't give out personal information - account numbers, Social Security numbers or passwords - or answer security questions.
• Use extreme caution if you are being pressured for immediate payment.
• Ask your phone company about call blocking tools for landlines or apps for mobile devices.
• Report spoofing scams to law enforcement, the FCC and the FTC.

For more information about smishing, see www.fcc.gov/spoofing.

If you believe someone is attempting to impersonate Hawaii Community FCU to obtain private or financial information from you illegitimately, contact us immediately.

Click here to visit our Security Center for more tips and information.

Source: Federal Communications Commission

We're here to help you respond to fraud.

Card fraud occurs when someone access your account information and makes unauthorized purchases or withdrawals. It can happen through online scams, data breaches and theft. Here's what to do:

• Contact us immediately
• Check your other accounts
• Inform proper authorities

Act quickly to minimize damage.

You're part of our 'ohana, and that means we have your back. If your card information has been compromised, contact us first.

• During business hours: 808-930-7700 on Hawaii Island, or toll-free at 800-514-2328
• After hours: 1-833-933-1681

You should also contact other financial institutions about your accounts and place a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting one of the three main credit bureaus.

• Equifax: 800-685-1111
• Experian: 888-397-3742
• TransUnion: 800-888-4213

Additional Resources:

• Fraud Defender
• Signs of Identity Theft
• Online Shopping Tips
• OnGuardOnline
  

Click here to visit our Security Center for more tips and information.

Protect yourself with information.

Plenty of contests are run by reputable marketers and non-profits. But every day, people lose thousands of dollars to prize scams.

Did an unexpected prize come in the mail? It pays to be careful!

Every day, scammers send out letters and messages announcing some "lucky" winner has won an unexpected windfall. All too often though, it's actually an attempt to drain your accounts rather than add to them. One popular scam purports to be from Publishers Clearing House and pretends to offer targets hundreds of thousands of dollars - all the "winner" has to do is pay taxes and related costs. Meanwhile, the letter might be accompanied by a check, instructions to contact a "claims agent" and a caution to keep the letter "confidential." All of this is designed to separate you from your hard-earned money.

Here are some tips to watch out for courtesy of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission:

• Never send money to collect a prize, sweepstakes check, or lottery winnings. If you have to pay, it’s a scam.
• Never deposit a check and send back money, even if the funds appear in your account. That’s a sure sign of a scam.
• If anyone calls asking you to pay for a prize, hang up and report it to the FTC.

Check out the tips below for additional information and look over the links under Additional Resources to find other ways to keep safe:

• Contact us and any other institution that held your affected accounts
• File a report with local police and get a case number with copy of the report
• Notify the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338

Additional Resources:

• Fraud Defender
• Signs of Identity Theft
• Federal Trade Commission Guidance
• OnGuardOnline
  

U.S. Postal Service FAQs on identity theft, credit card fraud and more. A fraud attempt may come with a check to entice the target of the scam.

Click here to visit our Security Center for more tips and information.

Take precaution with your communications.

Your personal data provides a gold mine of information for criminals who go phishing. They'll try to contact you in numerous ways to get you to provide that information or to click links that automatically download malicious software to your computer or mobile device.

Stay alert to avoid scams.

Be extremely careful when opening emails and following links from businesses or institutions asking for personal information. Please note, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union will never ask for your personal information via email or over the phone.

We want to help you stay safe online by taking these steps:

• Do not provide your personal information by following email links or responding to any unsolicited requests
• Regularly update your firewall, anti-virus and spyware detection software
• Run virus scans and clean up any viruses or trojans that are detected
• Change your passwords periodically
• Contact us immediately if you think your information has been compromised

Additional Resources:

• Fraud Defender
• ID Theft Education
• Online Security Tips
• OnGuardOnline
  

Click here to visit our Security Center for more tips and information.

Stay alert to avoid holiday scams.

There are your everyday frauds but there are scams that are specific to the holidays due to the increased spikes in web shopping and online spending. You can lessen your chances of being victimized just by being vigilant and better prepared to spot a scam.

Holiday scams often target online shopping. According to a Deloitte survey, 60 % of consumers buy holiday gifts on the internet. Scammers lure online shoppers with fake websites and social media campaigns that impersonate brand name companies in sporting goods, technology and fashion. These fake sites and posts are ways to gather credit card numbers and other personal data that cybercrooks use to commit identity theft or sell your private date to other internet criminals.

Please stay alert to avoid scams. Be extremely careful when taking phone calls, opening emails and following links from businesses or institutions asking for personal information. Whether on the phone or online, never give out your personal information.

Protecting your financial security is of the utmost importance at Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or call us at 808-930-7700.

Click here to visit our Security Center for more tips and information.