March 26, 2020
Protect Yourself Against Financial Fraud
La Capitol FCU cares about your financial well-being. As COVID-19 continues to create uncertainty, the situation has provided greater opportunities for financial fraudsters and identity thieves. According to the Credit Union National Association - CUNA, fraudsters are even posing as the CDC Health Alert Network to steal personal information!
Now, more than ever, it is important to protect your personal and financial information. Be very wary of giving out personal information to anyone, especially if you did not initiate the conversation or interaction. Caller ID can be "spoofed" and is not a reliable way to determine the identity of the caller.
As always, La Capitol FCU will NEVER contact you and ask for your credit or debit card number, PIN, or 3-digit security code. And, we will NEVER call, email, or otherwise, contact you and ask for your user name, password, or other online banking credentials.
Fraudsters are also sending phishing emails that claim to be from the CDC or the World Health Organization. Avoid opening email attachments and clicking on links within emails from senders you do not recognize. These attachments can contain malicious content, such as ransomware, that can infect your device and steal your information.
Also, be alert to commercial offers that appear too good to be true. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Price gouging is banned during a declared state of emergency in Louisiana. If you become a victim of price gouging, contact the Louisiana Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-351-4889 or your local Better Business Bureau.
If you have become the victim of COVID-19 related identity theft or financial fraud, you can file a complaint at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission advises that you take the following steps:
1. Call the companies where you know fraud occurred
2. Place a fraud alert and get your credit reports
3. Report identity theft to the FTC
4. You may choose to file a report with your local police department
Learn More About Fraud Protection With La Cap
Resources
Federal Trade Commission: identitytheft.gov
US Dept. of Justice: justice.gov/criminal-fraud/identity-theft/identity-theft-and-identity-fraud
Federal Bureau of Investigation: fbi.gov/investigate/white-collar-crime/identity-theft
FBI Internet Crime Reporting: www.ic3.gov
US Secret Service: secretservice.gov/about/faqs; https://www.secretservice.gov/data/press/releases/2020/20-MAR/Secret_Service_Coronavirus_Phishing_Alert.pdf
Louisiana Attorney General: www.ag.state.la.us
Credit Reporting Agencies
Equifax Credit Information Services - Consumer Fraud Division
P.O. Box 105496
Atlanta, Georgia 30348-5496
(800) 997-2493
Experian
P.O. Box 2104
Allen, Texas 75013-2104
(888) EXPERIAN (397-3742)
Trans Union Fraud Victim Assistance Dept.
P.O. Box 390
Springfield, PA 19064-0390
(800) 680-7289