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Current ScamsFraudulent Email Claiming to be from NACHA
NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association has received reports that individuals and/or companies have received a fraudulent e-mail that has the appearance of having been sent from NACHA. See sample below.
The subject line of the e-mail states: “Unauthorized ACH Transaction.” The e-mail includes a link that redirects the individual to a fake Web page and contains a link which is almost certainly an executable virus with malware.
Do not click on the link. Both the e-mail and the related website are
fraudulent.
Be aware that phishing e-mails frequently have links to Web pages that host malicious code and software. Do not follow Web links in unsolicited e-mails from unknown parties or from parties with whom you do not normally communicate, or that appear to be known but are suspicious or otherwise unusual.
NACHA itself does not process nor touch the ACH transactions that flow to and from organizations and financial institutions. NACHA does not send communications to individuals or organizations about individual ACH transactions that they originate or receive.
If malicious code is detected or suspected on a computer, consult with a computer security or anti-virus specialist to remove malicious code or re-install a clean image of the computer system. Always use anti-virus software and ensure that the virus signatures are automatically updated.
Ensure that the computer operating systems and common software applications security patches are installed and current.
Be alert for different variations of fraudulent e-mails.
= = = = = Sample E-mail = = = = = =
From: Information
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 8:27 AM
To: Doe, John
Subject: Unauthorized ACH Transaction
Dear bank account holder,
The ACH transaction, recently initiated from your bank account, was rejected
by the Electronic Payments Association. Please review the transaction report
by clicking the link below:
Unauthorized ACH Transaction Report
DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK!
Contact NEACH with any questions at 781-321-1011.
Amazon.com Scam
Members are receiving the email below. (Links and numbers have been removed for your protection.) Many who receive this email do not have accounts with Amazon.com. This email is not from Amazon.com.
It is a scam! Thanks for your order, (name)
Did you know you can view and edit your orders online, 24 hours a day? Visit Your Account.
E-mail Address:
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| Order Grand Total: $ 44.99
| | | | Earn 3% rewards on your Amazon.com orders with the Amazon Visa Card. Learn More
|
Order #:
| D-30xxxxx-82xxxxx
| Subtotal of items:
| $ 94.99
| | ------
| Total before tax:
| $ 14.99
| Sales Tax:
| $ 0.00
| | ------
| Total for this Order:
| $ 15.99
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The following item was ordered:
| Click here and see items, Price: $ 11.99
By: Click here
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
| |
The charge for this order will appear on your credit card statement from the merchant 'AMZN Payment Services.'
You can review your orders in Your Account. If you've explored the links on that page but still have a question, please visit our online Help Department.
Please note: This e-mail was sent from a notification-only address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please do not reply to this message.
Thanks again for shopping with us.
Amazon.com
Earth's Biggest Selection
| | NCUA warns of fraudulent e-mail activity
The National Credit Union Administration reports e-mails from simulated NCUA e-mail boxes to members of credit unions may be an attempt to obtain members' confidential data.
The e-mails solicit credit union members' participation in an online survey or member survey and promise compensation of $40 for responding. "The e-mails are fraudulent," NCUA said. "NCUA does not solicit such information from credit union members. This is a phishing activity with no NCUA activity or approval."
Mortgage Loan Audit Scam
May 11, 2010 - Beware of a home foreclosure rescue scam that begins with "rescue" professionals offering audit services for a fee.
In the scam, as explained in a recent FTC consumer alert, the homeowner pays several hundred dollars up front to have a "forensic loan auditor," "mortgage loan auditor," or "foreclosure prevention auditor" backed by "forensic attorneys" review the homeowner's loan documents to see if the lender complied with state and federal mortgage lending laws. The auditor claims their reports can be used to avoid foreclosure, accelerate the loan modification process, reduce loan principal or cancel the loan.
The FTC notes that there is no evidence such as an audit that can result in any kind of mortgage relief, even if it's done by a licensed, trained practitioner.
Beware of Offers to Settle Credit Card Debt
The Federal Trade Commission has warned consumers about the offers some companies are making to help consumers settle credit card debt for pennies on the dollar.
One of the types of companies making these claims is debt settlement companies. They negotiate with your creditor to reduce the amount you owe. Many say they can make a deal for you to pay off your debt for a much lower balance - anywhere from 30 to 70 percent less. There is no guarantee the debt settlement companies can persuade a credit card company to accept partial payment of a legitimate debt.
Even if they can, you still have to put aside money each month and pay the large fees to the debt settlement companies before they settle any of your debts. Also, you often have to pay a final fee to the debt settlement company that is a percentage of the money supposedly saved. It could take months or even years before the debt settlement company negotiates with the credit card company to settle the debts. In the meantime, if you stop making payments, the credit card company usually adds late fees and interest to the debt each month. This can double or triple your original debt.
The FTC says avoid any company that promises to settle your debt if it:
- Touts a "new government program" to bail out personal credit card debt;
- Guarantees it can make your unsecured debt go away;
- Tells you to stop communicating with your creditors;
- Tells you it can stop all debt collection calls and lawsuit;
- Guarantees that your unsecured debts can be paid off with pennies on the dollar; or
- Requires that you pay the full fee within the first few months.
Remember the old saying, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is." Apply that to these offers and think before you respond. Instead, the FTC suggests you contact your card company if you're having trouble making payments. Many credit card issuers will work with you during a difficult time.
PHONE SCAMS
We have reports of two different phone scams circulating among credit union members. One credit union received reports from their members that they received phone calls from someone identifying themselves as a representative from a bank prompting them to enter their debit card information for security purposes. THIS IS A SCAM!
Simply hang up if you should receive one of these calls. Never provide your information to anyone you do not know who initiated the call to you.
CALL FORWARDING SCAMS
Financial institutions across the country are reporting attempts by fraudsters to wire money from accounts. The criminals are performing selective call forwarding of the financial institution's phone number so when the financial institution calls the member, the call is actually being forwarded to a phone number manned by the fraudster. The fraudster then verifies the wire information and the financial institution performs the wire.
This scam works because almost all financial institutions perform "call-back" procedures before performing wire transfers via phone request. A 'call-back' is when you call your financial institution and ask them to wire money from your account to a different financial institution and a member of the wire department will not complete the wire until they call you back at a phone number the financial institution has on file to verify the request. Because the criminals have hijacked the member's or customer's call forwarding capability, they set up the call forwarding to go to their phone number. The financial institution cannot tell the difference because they are actually calling their member/customer.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1) Use extra caution when accessing public computers to prevent key logging of your account information.
2) Place a password with your landline phone company and your cell phone company to prevent your phone numbers from being call forwarded.
3) Don't become angry or disgusted when your financial institution asks you identifying questions when you contact them for a wire transfer or any other transaction. We're trying to protect you.
4) If you perform frequent or large wire transfers, we ask that you come to the Credit Union with a photo ID and set up a password we can use to identify you when you call.
5) Never provide any personal or financial information to anyone who calls, emails or texts you. Remember, we will never contact you to ask for this information because we already have it! However, if you contact us, we may ask you for this information to help in identifying you for your protection.
IMPOSTERS POSING AS CENSUS WORKERS
Expect con artists to exploit this once-every-10-years event by getting you to let your guard down and divulge personal information to impersonators.
Legitimate census workers go door-to-door from the end of April to July to capture information from households that fail to mail back the form. Crooks know this and will attempt to collect information from you that's not required by the census- personal information that could lead to identity theft.
Take the census seriously, fill out the form, and mail it back. But don't get taken by impersonators with smooth tactics. Know the five signs that point to a census scam:
1. "Please verify your Social Security number." Legitimate census takers don't ask for this. In fact, there are just 10 simple questions on the form- that's it. And a question about your Social Security number isn't one of them.
2. "We need your credit union or bank account number." No, they don't. None of the census' 10 questions asks for financial data. And the Census Bureau will never ask you for your PIN, passwords, or similar access information for credit cards or financial accounts.
3. "Please fill out your census form by replying to this e-mail or visting this websit." That's a sure sign it's a scam, because the Census Bureau never will contact you by e-mail or ask you to answer questions on a website.
4. "Of course I'm a census taker-you know about the census, right?" Legitimate census takers carry official badges and will give you the phone number of the local Census Bureau office so you can verify identities. To be safe, find your regional census office phone number at Census.gov/regions and call to verify identities.
5. "In cooperation with the census, we're asking for donations to a local charity." Legitimate census takers don't collect money for charities or political parties, according to the Census Bureau.
If you think you've been a victim of a census scam, contact your regional Census Bureau office immediately. Don't reply to suspicious e-mails or click on links within the e-mails that portend to be from the Census Bureau. Instead, forward the e-mail or website URL to ITSO.Fraud.Reporting@census.gov. Then delete the message. The Census Bureau will investigate and notify you of its findins.
VISHING and SMISHING
"Vishing" is when criminals send you an email asking you to make a telephone call. The call triggers a voice response system that asks you for your card number or other financial or personal information. Instead of an email, you may also receive a telephone call with a recording that instructs you to phone an 800 number or another area code within or outside of the United States because your card has been compromised or stolen. You're then asked to enter your card number, expiration date and CVV code using your phone.
"Smishing" is the mobile phone counterpart to phishing. Rather than being directed by an email to a web site, a text message is sent to your cell phone or other mobile device with a ploy to click on a link. The link causes a Trojan virus to be installed in the cell phone or other mobile device. The virus downloads all your information to the criminal and allows them to "see" the keystrokes you use, so if you access your online banking, they now know your account number and password.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1) If you have doubts about someone calling you, HANG UP!
2) Be wary of all messages you receive via phone, email or text.
3) Do not open unsolicted emails or text messages.
4) Check your account history frequently and report anything suspicious to us.
5) If you think you may have fallen victim, contact us immediately so we can protect your account!
Tax Time Means Tax Scams (2/18/2010)
Tax-filing season brings out tax-preparation frauds. The latest sheme involves tax refunds transmitted as a direct deposit or automated clearing house (ACH) credit. Consumers are being drawn in to fraud schemes by individuals claiming to be tax preparers.
In this type of fraud, the victims unwittingly provide the bogus tax preparers with personal information such as their name, Social Security number, bank account numbers, investment information and more so the preparers can complete the tax forms. The tax preparer inflates the information with fraudulent information to obtain a larger refund. Some victimes have found their tax preparers have claimed children they don't have, day care expenses and so on.
The tax refunds are transmitted as direct deposit (ACH credit) to a newly created account or to an existing account with an impersonator added as a joint owner. These accounts are established by an impersonator or a recruiter. Once the tax refund is deposited into the account, the impersonator or recruiter withdraws the tax preparation fee. The remainder of the ACH credit goes to the refund recipient.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will attempt to reclaim the ACH credits involving fraudulent tax returns. Last year the IRS prosecuted more than 200 people as phony tax preparers. The IRS is already busy checking up on new tax scams, ranging from filing false returns to convincing clients they don't need to pay income taxes.
Be extra careful when a preparer bases the fee on a percentage of a promised refund. Consumers shouls also avoid preparers who claim to know something special or that they can get more money than anyone else. Also plan to sit with the preparers as they fill out the tax forms. Never just sign a blank form and trust them to file it.
New Recruitment Scam Using Craigslist Targets Credit Unions
Advertisements have been posted on Craigslist as part of member recruitment scams nationwide. The ads solicit current credit union members and offer $75.00 or more for their assistance in gaining membership for ineligible individuals. The scam is targeting credit unions and members across the country.
The following are samples of Craigslist ads targeting credit union members for this recruitment scam:
If your a ABC Credit Union Member MAKE SOME EXTRA $$
This is NOT a scam! I am willing to call you and discuss extensively! I need a ABC Credit Union Member to sponsor me into the credit union. I am willing to pay $100 USD for this service. Please email me and we can discuss this in detail. This is a 1 day process and I want to become a member for investment account/interest rate purposes.
Need to find XYZ Credit Union Member
I was just approved for a visa credit card with XYZ Federal Credit Union and they called me and said that they can not process the application if I do not know any existing member or if I am not employed at one of the list of companies they have. To become a member you have to know a member. So now my app is on hold until I can find someone who is already a member. If you know someone, please tell them to contact me. I am willing to pay $500. And all they ask for is the members name and member number. Thanks.
ABC and XYZ Members Needed!!!
If you are a ABC or XYZ Federal Credit Union member we will pay you $75.00 per member to sponsor other that would like to join the credit union but do not meet the membership requirements. Please email me for details.
Do not fall for this scam. Your participation in a scam such as this is illegal. Contact us if you are approached with this scam.
Maine's Bureau of Financial Institutions Joins FDIC in Warning Consumers about New Phishing Attempt
GARDINER, MAINE - Bureau of Financial Institutions' Superintendent Lloyd P. LaFountain III is joining officials at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in warning consumers about the ongoing circulation of a fraudulent e-mail purporting to be from the FDIC and asking recipients to open a "personal FDIC insurance file" to review their deposit insurance coverage.
Superintendent LaFountain stresses that the FDIC is not sending out this e-mail. He noted that the subject line of the e-mail includes the words "Check Your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage," but he emphasizes that the subject line may change over time. The e-mail reportedly states:
"You have received this message because you are a holder of a FDIC-insured bank account. Recently, FDIC has officially named the bank you have opened your account with as a failed bank, thus, taking control of its assets."
Recipients are then asked to visit the official FDIC website by clicking on a link in the message, which takes them to a phony website. The site includes links that appear to open forms. However, the FDIC believes that clicking on the links may cause the installation of malicious software intended to collect personal or confidential information, some of which may be used to gain unauthorized access to online banking services or to conduct identity theft. Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarde to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-3054, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Information related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.
Superintendent LaFountain reminded consumers that these scams are known as "phishing" when e-mail is used and "vishing" when it's conducted through telephone calls. This fraudulent activity generally attempts to acquire sensitive information, such as passwords or pin numbers, for using in accessing financial accounts. The Bureau has been made aware of recent activity targeting customers of at least three Maine-based financial institutions. Non-customers have also received the messages.
"Although most consumers have become aware of phishing scams, the calls and e-mails can seem entirely legitiate," LaFountain commented. "This acivity can catch any of us off-guard and before we know it, personal information has been shared. We should remind ourselves and others that banks and credit unions do not typically send out mass e-mail or automated voicemail messages in which personal financial information is requested."
In issuing its warning, the Bureau urges consumers to confirm the authenticity of all solicited messages from their financial institution. Additionally, the Bureau recommends that consumers:
- Never provide personal information, including financial account details and Social Security Numbers, to anyone unknown to them.
- Use great caution before providing personal information that could be used to access financial accounts through e-mail or the Internet
- Never provide account information over the phone when contacted unexpectedly by someone claiming to be from a bank or credit union; follow up with the institution by phone or in person.
- Safeguard passwords, pin numbers and other account-accessing details or codes; never write that information on credit/debit cards or carry in a wallet or purse.
- Contact the Bureau to report potential fraud; to obtain more details about Financial Privacy (www.maine.gov/pfr/privacy_links.htm); or to access the agency's Consumer Protection Library (www.maine.gov/pfr/financialinstitutions/consumer/library.htm).
MoneyGram to Pay $18 Million to Settle FTC Charges That It Allowed Its Money Transfer System To Be Used for Fraud
MoneyGram International, Inc., the second-largest money transfer service in the United States, will pay $18 million in consumer redress to settle FTC charges that the company allowed its money transfer system to be used by fraudulent telemarketers to bilk U.S. consumers out of tens of million of dollars.
The FTC charged that between 2004 and 2008, MoneyGram agents helped fraudulent telemarketers and other con artists who tricked U.S. consumers into wiring more than $84 million within the United States and to Canada- after these consumers were falsely told they had won a lottery, were hired for a secret shopper program, or were guaranteed loans.
In many of the scams that used MoneyGram's money transfer system, the con artists used counterfeit checks to induce consumers to send money back by wire transfer. The most prevalent of these scams were lottery or prize schemes in which consumers were told they had won thousands of dollars and just had to pay a fee for "taxes," "customs," or "insurance" to a third-party to collect their winnings. Consuners paid the fee using MoneyGram, but received nothing. In another scheme, telemarketers told consumers they were guaranteed loans, regardless of their credit score. All they had to do was pay "insurance," "paperwork," or "processing" fees to complete the transaction. Consumers who sent funds using a money transfer service got nothing in return.
In mystery shopping scams, the con artists called U.S. consumers or sent them a piece of direct mail in which they claimed to be hiring consumers to visit stores such as Wal-Mart to evaluate MoneyGram money transfer operations. The con artists sent consumers a cashier's check, telling them to deposit it in their checking account and then send most of the money back using a money transfer at Wal-Mart. When the counterfeit checks bounced, consumers realized they had lost the money they transferred.
Avoid telemarketing and money transfer fraud. Don't wire money to:
- someone you don't know, in the U.S. or in a foreign country;
- someone claiming to be a relative in the midst of a crisis and who wants to keep the request for money a secret;
- someone who says a money transfer is the only form of payment that's acceptable; or
- someone who asks you to deposit a check and send some of the money back.
If you were a victim of a scam using MoneyGram Wire Services, call 202-326-3755 for information on the process of potential restitution.
URGENT - NEACH Reports Scam E-Mail
This e-mail appears to be from NACHA, The Electronic Payments Association, telling the recipient that there is a problem with an ACH transaction they have originated. The e-mail includes a link which redirects the individual to a fake web page which appears like the NACHA website and contains a link which is almost certainly an executable virus with malware. The scam e-mail appears like this:
From: nacha.org [mailto:report@nacha.org]
Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 10:25AM
To: Doe, John
Subject: Rejected ACH transaction, please review the transaction report.
Dear bank account holder,
The ACH transaction, recently initiated from your bank account, was rejected by the Electronic Payments Association. Please review the transaction report by clicking the link below:
Unauthorized ACH Transaction Report (This is how the link is presented)
DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK. JUST DELETE THE EMAIL. THIS EMAIL IS A SCAM THAT CONTAINS A VIRUS!
Protecting Personal Information
The IRS has issued a warning to consumers: Steer clear of identity theft scams that use the tax agency's name, logo or Web site. Criminals may also use other federal agency names, such as the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in an attempt to convince taxpayers that a scam is a genuine communication.
In identity theft crimes, fraudsters try to trick victims into revealing personal information. This can include credit card numbers, bank account information, passwords, Social Security numbers and more. Often, the criminals pose as a trusted government, financial or business institution or official.
Generally, identity thieves use someone's personal data to steal financial accounts, run up charges on existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim's name and even file fraudulent tax returns.
The IRS urges consumers to avoid becoming a victim of four recent schemes:
Rip-Off #1: Claim the "Making Work Pay" Refund
This e-mail message, purportedly from the IRS, mentions the Making Work Pay provision, which is part of a law passed earlier this year. The message states there is a refundable credit available to workers, consumers and retirees that can be paid into the recipient's bank account if the person provides information to the IRS. The e-mail contains links to "register" and claim the tax refund.
The IRS explains that most wage-earners receive the Making Work Pay credit in their paychecks as a result of decreased tax withholding, not as a lump sum distribution paid into a bank account. Consumers and retirees who are not wage earners are not eligible for the tax credit.
Rip-Off #2: Collect Inherited Funds, Lottery Winnings or Cash Consignment
In this scheme, recipients receive e-mail messages claiming to come from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The messages notify recipients that they will receive millions of dollars in recovered funds, lottery winnings or cash consignment if they provide personal information, including phone numbers, via return e-mail.
The e-mail may be just the first step in a multi-step scheme. Later, the victims may be contacted by telephone or further e-mail messages and instructed to deposit taxes on the funds or winnings before they can receive them. Alternatively, a victim may be sent a phony check of the funds or winnings and told to deposit it but pay 10 percent in taxes or fees. Thinking that the check must have cleared the bank and is genuine, some people comply. However, the scammers, not the Treasury Department, get the money.
Rip-Off #3: Fill Out IRS Form W-8BEN
In this scam, fraudsters modify a genuine IRS form, the W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding. On it, victims are asked to provide detailed personal and financial information. This could include nationality, passport number, bank accounts, passwords, spouse's name, mother's maiden name, or other information for financial accounts. The scammers may use the actual IRS form number and name, or may make up a new form number, such as W-4100B2.
The form or letter is either e-mailed or faxed. The letter, which claims to come from the IRS, states that the recipient will face additional taxes unless he or she quickly faxes the required information to the number provided by the scammer.
In reality, required taxpayers file Form W-8BEN with their financial institutions, not with the IRS. Additionally, the genuine W-8BEN does not request a taxpayer's passport number, bank account number, and other information.
Rip-Off #4: Receive a Tax Refund
This bogus e-mail, which claims to come from the IRS, tells the recipient that he or she is eligible to receive a tax refund for a certain amount. It instructs the recipient to click on a link contained in the e-mail to access and complete a form, which requires personal and financial information. These types of refund promises are the most common scam the IRS has seen. Recent variations have claimed to come from the IRS Exempt Organization office. Others have included the name and purported signature of a real or a made-up IRS executive.
Taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain refunds. They are based on the tax returns submitted to the IRS.
How to Spot a Scam
Keep in mind that the IRS does not discuss tax account matters with taxpayers by e-mail. Despite this fact, many e-mail scams are fairly sophisticated and hard for many people to detect. Here are some clues:
- Beware of e-mail messages that request detailed personal and/or financial information, or an unusual amount of it. This can include your name, Social Security number, bank or credit card account numbers or security-related information, such as your mother's maiden name. The information can be requested in the e-mail itself or on another Web site you are sent to with a link.
- Don't take the bait on enticing messages, such as those mentioning a tax refund or offering to pay you to participate in a survey.
- Don't respond to e-mail messages that threaten a consequence for not responding, such as additional taxes or blocking access to funds.
- Watch out for correspondence that gets the names of the Internal Revenue Service or other federal agencies wrong. Similarly, many con artists use incorrect grammar or odd phrasing. The reason: Many of the e-mail scams originate overseas and are written by non-native English speakers.
- Don't click on links in messages with really long addresses or URLs that do not start with the actual IRS Web site address (www.irs.gov). To see the actual link address, move the mouse over the link included in the text of an e-mail. The only genuine IRS Web site is IRS.gov. Anyone wishing to access the site should initiate contact by typing www.IRS.gov into their Internet address window, rather than clicking on a link in an e-mail.
What to Do if You Receive a Suspicious Message
If you receive a suspicious e-mail claiming to come from the IRS, take the following steps:
- Do not open attachments to e-mail messages, in case they contain malicious code that can infect your computer.
- For the same reason, don't click on links. Be aware that the links often connect to a phony IRS Web site that appears authentic and then prompts the victim to enter personal identification. The fake Web sites appear legitimate because the appearance and much of the content are directly copied from actual pages on the IRS site and then modified by scammers for their own purposes.
- Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine whether the IRS is trying to contact you.
- Forward the suspicious e-mail or URL address to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov, then delete the e-mail from your inbox.
Scammers Find Lucrative Business from Funerals
Be on the lookout for yet another scam: online guest books for deceased individuals. This is a site where family and friends can share stories about the deceased, leave messages of support for each other, and upload pictures. But Consumer Reports warns that scammers have easy access to the e-mail addresses some visitors put on the guest book site. Crooks then send phony messages, stating that a long-deceased relative owes them money that will be released as soon as fees are paid to an overseas bank account. In some cases, the letter writers claim to be officials of foreign governments. Many people have been fooled-even when they aren't distracted by grief.
Avoid being a victim of online guestbooks:
- Refuse to respond to anyone or any company that requests an advance payment of fees.
- Add the email address of the sender to your "block address" list.
- Notify your local or state consumer protection office of the scam so they can pass the information on to authorities and warn others.
- If you receive a check, take it to your credit union and tell them how you received it. Ask them if they can verify the authenticity of the check. If you deposit it, you may be liable for repaying any funds you withdraw against it.
Phishing' Scam Uses Fake Publishers Clearing House
A local organization received a letter and a check reportedly from Publishers Clearing House in the amount of $5,890.00. The credit union also received a phone call wanting to verify funds on a check owned by the local organization that it was written to by this company, who would not identify themselves, that appears to be fraudulent. The account that the check was written from is now closed. Please be aware that this scam is currently going on in our area.
Phishing Scam -
Fraud Disguises Itself as an Email from NCUA
A fraudulent e-mail seeking credit card information (known as a "phishing fraud") has been circulating nationwide. 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.
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