Holiday Scam Survival Guide
As the holiday season gets closer, so does the potential for increased fraud activity. With higher transaction volumes, busy credit union branches, and members like you focused on holiday spending, it’s critical for everyone to stay alert. This year you should be ready to reinforce established safeguards, and act quickly when something doesn’t feel right.
Proactive prevention, trusting your gut, and rapid response are key to protecting yourself from the wide spread fraud we all have to deal with.
Here are several best-practice recommendations from our friends at Navatros to keep top of mind as we head into the holiday season:
Holiday Scam Survival Guide Quick Tips
🔹RECOGNIZE COMMON SCAMS: Scammers are inventive and nefariously clever – but sometimes the old tricks are the best. Read up on the common schemes so you don’t fall for any of the old tricks in the book (fool me once, shame on me, Nigerian prince!)
🔹QUESTION INCOMING REQUESTS: It is very rare that FFCCU (or other financial institutions and organizations) would need to reach out to you directly. To protect your personal information, question unexpected requests for sensitive information. And of course, don’t click any links coming through unusual text messages, direct messages from Instagram, Facebook, or other social media services, etc. It never hurts to go full “Fox Mulder” and “Trust No One.”
🔹 KEEP AN EYE ON FFCCU COMMUNICATIONS: Our monthly “Dispatch” email and social media accounts will periodically mention current scams that are rising in popularity. Follow FFCCU for the latest on what’s going on in the scamerverse.
🔹 KEEP THE FAITH: Fighting fraud means aggravating and time-consuming steps. You know the drill: 2 factor authentications, ID checks, sign-ins, shared branching procedures utilizing IDCheck, twenty million passwords, etc. We ask that you please be patient as these security measures – while absolutely obnoxious – are great security steps that will protect your money and time in the long run.
🔹 ACT QUICKLY: Don’t let criminals make you feel embarrassed if you inadvertently give them information. Timely communication about suspicious activity, attempted scams, and confirmed fraud is essential. Early reporting can make a meaningful difference in mitigating damage.
Holiday Scam Shopping Quick Tips
✔ Shop with trusted retailers.
✔ Look for https:// before entering payment information.
✔ Avoid making purchases on public Wi-Fi.
✔ Verify QR codes before scanning.
✔ Be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true.
✔ If an online retailer asks you to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers: that’s a major warning sign.
Preparation, awareness, trusting your instincts, and responding to mistakes quickly are all essential steps to staying ahead of fraud.
As we enter one of the busiest times of the year, remain vigilant, communicate openly, trust your gut (but not those links!), and stay alert!
Posted In: FFCCU News and Info
