La Cap works hard to keep your information and accounts safe and secure, but fraudsters and scammers often come up with new techniques. Look around for tips on how to keep yourself safe and advice for what to do if you are impacted by fraud.
All Other Fraud
For all other suspected fraud, please call our Member Service Line at 800-522-2748.
-
Set Up a Fraud Alert
To get started, access fraud alerts from your desktop or mobile device by logging into home banking, then selecting the account you want to protect. Once you log into the account, you will see a link in the bar at the top of the page. Click that link to go to the fraud alerts setup page. Once there, you will be asked to enter your card information. At that point, you will receive a confirmation text message. Reply to the text message, and you can rest assured that your card is protected by fraud alerts.
Once you sign up for fraud alerts, you will receive automated messages on your mobile device via text or voice if a suspicious transaction is identified on your credit or debit card. You will then simply reply to the text to confirm that the transaction is fraudulent, or that you did indeed make the purchase.
Should your mobile number, or card number change in the future you’ll need to re-register your card with the new number in order to continue receiving alerts.
Fraud alerts from La Cap are only one of the many important ways we help to protect your accounts.
-
Set Up a Travel Alert
To protect our members, we are constantly on the lookout for fraudulent activity. If a transaction seems suspicious – like one from a new location or in a large amount, it could be declined. So if you're going to be traveling, let us know ahead of time by calling 1-800-522-2748. That way, we can make sure you have adequate access to your funds while you're on the road.
If you are using La Cap's Card Manager app, you can set your own alerts for any cards you have registered in the app.
-
Tips for Protecting Your Information
Credit and debit card fraud involves the unauthorized use of another person's card information to make purchases from their account or access their funds. It happens in several ways.
Card fraud can mean online scams, data breaches, and card or mail theft. Know how to defend yourself and rest assured La Capitol is continually monitoring for threats and suspicious activity. However, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself:Be Careful with Your Card Information
- Record your card and account numbers, along with expiration dates, in a secure, safe place. Be sure to include the phone number for each card company so you can report fraud and minimize damage quickly.
- Don’t carry cards that you don’t normally use on your person. Carry only the cards you need or use regularly. That way there is less opportunity for a thief to take your cards and fewer cards you'll have to freeze if they are lost or stolen.
- Shred any documents containing personally identifiable information (PII) before throwing them away. Use a cross-cut shredder if possible.
- Never give your account number to anyone on the phone unless you initiated the call to a company you know to be reputable, or you are expecting the call.
Use Your Card Wisely
- Never leave lines blank when signing a receipt. The information on a blank receipt may be changed after you've already signed it. Drawing a line through any blank spaces can help.
- When handing your card to a merchant, always make sure you can see the card. Watch your card during the transaction and make sure you get it back.
- Look for irregularities with an ATM before using it, especially with the card slot. If it looks odd, it may be a skimmer used to capture your credit card information. ATMs and other Point of Sale card readers should not have loose parts. If you notice it after you've inserted your card, alert the card issuer.
- Use cards online only with extreme caution. Only enter information on websites you're 100 percent sure are legitimate or use a third-party site when you can.
Beware Pretext Calling
Pretext Calling is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretense by sending you a text message that asks you to call a specified number about your debit or credit card. Visit ftc.gov for more information.
-
Get Your Annual Credit Report
Why Should I Review My Credit Report?
Your credit report is used by financial institutions and other organizations to make a variety of decisions that impact you – loan rates, insurance rates, whether or not you can rent a house or apartment, even employment opportunities. It’s important to know what’s on your credit report so you know where you stand with lenders, make corrections, and identify any activity that may be fraudulent.
U.S. citizens are eligible to receive a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Request a free copy of your credit report annually at annualcreditreport.com.
Equifax 1-800-685-1111
Experian 1-888-397-3742
Transunion 1-800-916-8800 -
Helpful Links
Related Articles
Holiday Fraud Prevention Shopping List
Bad actors want to fill their stockings with your cash. A national credit union group offers ways to keep your accounts and identity safe as the Christmas shopping season ends. Get your holiday fraud prevention checklist – and check it twice!
Holiday Shopping Scams Start Now
Black Friday and Cyber Monday usher in the gift-giving time of good cheer, but the FBI warns that holiday scams are waiting to help separate you from your money before gifts are put under the tree. The most prevalent of these holiday scams are non-delivery and non-payment crimes.
Three Programs That Protect Your Passwords
Password managers are programs that store and encrypt your passwords. With a password manager, you have to remember only one password to log in to all of the websites you use. Read more to learn about three of the most reliable, user-friendly options.