It seems that reports of cyber crimes including card breaches and database hacks are becoming a daily occurrence. While cyber crimes are a growing world wide problem, fraud security and monitoring are constantly being updated to battle the problem.
Even with the best safeguards in place, remember that you are your own best defense against cyber crime. Guard your personal and financial information, keep an eye on your accounts and credit score, and do not respond to mail, phone calls, texts, or emails that ask for personal information.
Tracking suspicious card activity just got easier for you with the addition of EEFCU’s Visa EMV Debit Cards Premium Text Fraud Alerts. Now, a text alert will be sent to your mobile device if the EEFCU Fraud Center is detects a suspicious purchase on your card. All you will need to do is respond to the information on the text by answering YES or NO to the purchase. If you don’t have a textible number, a pone call will be made to the number we have on file in an attempt to reach you.
So how do you know what Text Alerts, phone calls, or request for information are real? Here are a few tips to help you decide how to make that determination.
- A text alert from the EEFCU, warning of suspicious activity on your card, will NEVER include a link for you to click. A valid notification from us will provide information about the suspect transaction and ask the card holder to reply to the text message with answers such as Yes, No, Help, or Stop. It will NEVER include a link to click on.
- A text alert message from us will always be from a 5-digit number and NOT a 10-digit number resembling a phone number.
- A phone call from our automated dialer will only include a request for your zip code and a yes or no response to a questioned transaction, and no other personal information, unless you confirm the transaction is fraudulent. Only then will the card holder be transferred to a fraud agent who will confirm you are the actual card holder and go through the transaction with you. If you become concerned about the call, or the questions being asked, hang up and call us, or the number for VISA on the back of your card.
- We will NEVER ask you for your PIN or 3-digit security code (CV2) on the back of your card. Do not give them out to anyone, no matter who they claim to be. Hang up and call us directly. If we are unavailable, contact VISA using the number on the back of your card. Fraudsters may tell you they need your PIN number or CV2 in order to block and reorder you a new card. This is NOT true.
- Regularly check your account online to see if there are any suspicious transactions that have occurred. If anything looks amiss, call us directly.
- If you have received a voice – or text message from us and are unsure about responding to it call us directly for assistance. If we are unavailable, call VISA using the number on the back of your card.
While the EEFCU works hard to keep your information safe, we encourage you to take an active roll in your security by guarding your personal information. Think before clicking, entering, answering or replying to questions. And, ALWAYS feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.