ID & Fraud Prevention

Protect your private information from scams.

At Communication, your privacy is very important. That’s why we want you to be aware of scams, such as  “phishing”, pronounced “fishing”, a technique hackers use to lure online consumers to fake web sites or forms through links sent to consumers by email, social media or text message.

The message often warns consumers that their account or card will be closed if their information is not updated or verified. The links within the e-mail are often pointed to web forms that ask for bank account information such as routing numbers, account numbers, PINs, passwords and Social Security numbers.

It is Communication Federal Credit Union’s policy to not send or request confidential account information through email because it is not a secure form of communication. You should never enter private, personal information in a form that was sent to you by email, social media or text message.

Here are a few ways you can protect yourself from fraud:

  • Never click on links in unexpected email that request confidential information. If updates to information are needed, always type in the address to the Web site in the browser. If you are suspicious, call the sender at a known phone number and verify that the email is valid.
  • Before submitting confidential information through forms, make sure that you are using a secure internet connection. There are two ways of determining if your connection to a website is secure. First, look at the address bar at the top of your browser. If the website address begins with “https://”, then you have established a secure connection to the website, but if it begins with “http://”, then the connection is unsecured. Second, look for a “lock” icon in your browser’s status bar, bottom right hand corner of your browser. The lock verifies that your connection to the website is secure.
  • Make sure that you have installed and run updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Both viruses and spyware can leave your computer vulnerable to attack and intrusion. Anti-virus and anti-spyware software will keep your computer safe from malicious software that might have installed itself or tries to install itself onto your computer.
  • Install a Firewall, either software or hardware. A firewall will prevent attacks on your computer from the internet by determining if a requested connection is malicious or not.
  • Keep your browser, anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall up to date by visiting the manufacturer’s website and check for software and security upgrades.
  • Check and monitor your checking account, debit card, credit card statements and your credit report regularly to be sure all transactions are legitimate. Account alerts are free from most financial institutions and can provide early warning to account fraud.
  • Watch for misspelling or grammatical errors on forms requesting confidential information. Hackers often make errors while rushing to get bogus web sites in place. If something doesn’t look right, there is a good chance that it’s not.

Communication Federal Credit Union will never request a customer’s personal, confidential information (bank card number, account number, social security number, personal identification number or password) through email.

If you should ever receive an email requesting your personal, confidential information that appears to be from the credit union, do not respond to the email. Contact the credit union immediately at [email protected] and if possible, forward a copy of the email you received or call 800.522.3535.

In addition, Communication Federal Credit Union will never call you and ask you to verify your Debit Card or Credit Card PIN. If you receive a suspicious phone call and are unsure if it is actually from Communication Federal Credit Union, hang up the phone and call 800.522.3535.