Fraud Prevention Center

Fight Fraud with SCCU

Being your financial watchdog is about always protecting your financial interests. That includes watching out for any fraudulent activity with your account. Remember, SCCU will never solicit personal or account information through phone, text, email, or other means that a member did not first initiate.

How to Stay a Step Ahead of a Scammer

	Don't Trust Caller ID: Scammers can disguise caller ID to make it appear that you're getting a call from SCCU or a real, local number. When in doubt, hang up and call SCCU at 800-447-7228.
	Don't Share Info: Never give anyone your temporary access code, Online Banking credentials, PIN, debit/credit card number, or account number. SCCU will never ask you for this information.

	Don't Get Rushed: If a caller is rushing you to provide personal/financial information, hang up and call SCCU directly. The same goes for emails or text messages.
	Avoid Links/Downloads: If you receive an unexpected text message or email appearing to be from SCCU, don't click on links or download any attachments. Call 800-447-7228 directly.

Learn how to stop fraud in its tracks with the infographics below.

Quick Tips to Help Fight Fraud

Keep Contact Info Up to Date

Make sure we have your current phone number so we contact you immediately regarding any suspicious transaction activity.
In your Online Banking account or in the SCCU Mobile app, select 'Update Contact Info' under Quick Actions to check that we have your current mobile number.

Be Wary of Unexpected Messages

Don't respond to unexpected (or "urgent") messages/calls appearing to be from SCCU that request you to "verify a transaction" or "unlock your account."
Give us a call directly at 800-447-7228 to verify any requests.
Never tell anyone your account password, verification codes, or other sensitive personal or financial information.

Create Strong Passwords and Change Them Frequently

Strong passwords are at least 8 characters in length with an uppercase character, a lowercase character, numbers, and special characters.
Stuck? Start with the first letters of words in a phrase and change out letters for symbols. Then, add numbers.
Example: “Back to the Drawing Board” > Bttdb > Bt^db > Bt^db835.

Monitor Your Accounts

Tracking daily account activity can help ensure you catch any suspicious transactions immediately.
If you suspect fraud, be sure to let us know immediately.
You can set up e-statements, balance alerts, transaction alerts, and more in Online Banking and Mobile Banking.

Notify Us if You’re Traveling

If you’re going out of town, be sure to notify us of your trip’s location and timeframe before you leave.
This way, you won’t have to deal with the frustration of getting cards declined due to suspicious activity.
You can notify us in your Online Banking account/SCCU Mobile app. Learn how here.

Use Your Cards with Caution

Don't use card machines that show any signs of tampering.
Cover the keypad with your hand as you’re punching in your PIN.
You can also avoid swiping and PIN punching with digital wallet.
You can use Manage Cards to have total control of your Visa® debit and credit cards.

Keeping Your Accounts Safe Starts at SCCU

2Way Text Fraud Alerts

SCCU sends text message alerts upon detecting fraudulent account activity.

Visa® Zero Liability Protection¹⁴

Reimburses unauthorized Visa® debit or credit transactions.

Manage Cards

Allows you to turn your card(s) "off" to prevent additional transactions from occurring.

Contactless Cards
Offers dynamic security protection and the ease of making purchases in stores with a tap.

eStatements

Protect your information by choosing electronic-only statements in Online Banking.

You've Been Scammed. Now What?

Take a deep breath, we're here to help you.

Here are next steps to take that will help law enforcement make their cases against the bad guys:

How to Report Fraud on Your Credit Report

Be sure to review credit reports from the three credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—for any fraudulent discrepancies. You can review them for free once a year on AnnualCreditReport.com. You can also see your FICO^® score for free in your SCCU Online Banking account.

If you see fraud on your credit report, follow these steps outlined by the FTC:

Call the companies where you know the fraud occurred.
Place a fraud alert on a credit report (that bureau will then request the other two bureaus to do the same).
Report any suspected identity theft to the FTC.
You may choose to file a report with your local law police department.

Want to Learn More?

Check out these helpful articles.

The 11 Most Popular Fraud Scams

Here are the top measures you can take to protect your personal and financial information.

5 Tips for Safeguarding Your Personal Info

Whether it’s card/account fraud or identity theft, we've all heard about or experienced some type of fraud.

How to Prevent Identity Theft While Traveling

Unfortunately, travelers fall victim to identity theft because they’re often in vulnerable situations.