Fraud
Like all consumers, you want to avoid being a victim of some "scam." That’s why we have a whole team working hard to uncover the latest frauds and scams before members like you become victims. If at any time you have questions or know of a scam that should be added to this site, please contact our Account Management Department at 503.672.3878.
07.06.10 False E-mail Claiming to Be From the FDIC
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of a fraudulent e-mail that appears to be sent from the FDIC.
Fraudulent email subject line: "You need to check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage"
Fraudulent email body copy: "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."
The e-mail then directs recipients to click a link stating "You need to visit the official FDIC website and perform the following steps to check your Deposit Insurance Coverage."
Avoid the temptation to respond to click this link. It might look authentic, but the message is a trick. It’s called phishing because scammers go fishing for information about you or your financial account that may be used for identity theft.
If you did respond, please contact our Fraud Department at 503.350.4665 or email them at frauddepartment@firsttechcu.com.
Find out how to protect yourself at onguardonline.gov, a website managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
06.07.10 SMiShing scams on the rise
A growing number of fraudsters are using text messages in their scams and they typically target credit unions or small regional banks.
Here’s how the SMiShing scams typically work. The criminals pick a financial institution, then bombard every phone in their area code with a text message. The message asks the recipient to call a fake 800 number that looks like it’s from a local credit union. They target a particular region, so it’s likely they’ll reach real members.
We don’t currently send our members text messages. If you receive a text message claiming to be from First Tech, avoid the temptation to respond to the text message. It might look authentic, but the message is a trick. It’s called SmiShing because scammers send text messages through Short Message Service (SMS) and go fishing for information about you or your financial account that may be used for identity theft.
As a reminder, we won’t ask for confidential account information via email, voicemail or text messages such as:
- Account numbers
- Expiration dates
- PIN numbers and/or passwords
04.21.10 Malware alert: The ZeuS botnet
First Tech has recently learned that some First Tech Credit Union members have computers infected with malware that can mimic a financial institution’s security page, demanding personally identifiable information. The virus, known as ZeuS or Zbot Trojan, bypasses security safeguards on personal computers to record online bank account details, passwords and credit card numbers. It also copies passwords for social networking sites before causing each computer to forward the data to servers under the control of the hackers. It has emerged in several guises, including a false Facebook page that encouraged users to download a software update.
What should I do
If you ever see a screen similar to the one below, avoid the temptation to enter your card’s information and close your internet browser. The screen might look authentic, but the message is a trick. Next, be sure your computer has the latest security updates, anti-virus, anti-spyware and personal firewall. For more information how to secure your system, click here.
As a reminder, First Tech will never send you an email or ask you to enter your credit card number, full Social Security number, CVC code or Debit/Visa PIN number in a web page in order to verify your identity.
If you encounter a webpage when attempting to log in to First Tech Credit Union Online Banking, do not enter any personal information. Close your browser and call the First Tech Fraud Management Department immediately at 503.350.4665. For more information, check out the Symantec video explaining how the Zeus virus works. And remember to check out our blog for even more security related information and tips.
12.22.09 Rogue Android Smartphone app created
We recently learned that a fraudster developed a rogue Android Smartphone app. It creates a shell of mobile banking apps that tries to gain access to a consumer’s financial information.
Droid09 launched this phishing attack from the Android Marketplace and it’s since been removed. It’s called phishing because scammers go fishing for information about you or your financial account that may be used for identity theft.
Please note that this attack didn’t target First Tech accounts. Accessing your First Tech account from your phone’s web browser is completely secure.
If you did download the Droid09 app, please remove it from your phone and take it to your mobile provider to ensure it’s completely removed.
As a reminder, we don’t currently have an app for the Android phone.
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