Protect Yourself from “Phishing” Scams

You may have recently noticed a number of news reports about various “phishing” scams and credit and debit card data security breaches at merchants, financial institutions and their processing agents. We want to assure you that these institutions are not affiliated with Northwest Federal Credit Union and give you several suggestions to help keep your information secure.

What is Phishing and how does it work?
Phishing scams use emails and fraudulent websites to lure people into divulging their personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers and account passwords.

Phishing scams begin with an email that appears to be from a reputable company. It will direct the victim to either follow a link to a fraudulent website, or to an HTML form directly within the email. If the recipient follows the link or fills in the form, they are then often coerced into entering their personal information. Typically, the emails evoke a sense of panic with messages warning of possible identity theft or pending account cancellation. Lies can range from simple re-verifying of account information, to technical or credit problems with current information. If the “phishing” scam is successful, the information is used to tap into the victim's financial accounts.

At NWFCU we are committed to protecting our members
We do everything we can to help protect members from a variety of fraudulent activities. We will never ask for - or send out - your account numbers, passwords, PINs, or personal information in any email correspondence. However, members may be exposed to acts of fraudulent activity that are beyond the Credit Union's control and it is ultimately your responsibility to prevent and protect yourself from becoming an unsuspecting victim of identity theft or other fraud or scam.

We offer the following simple precautions to avoid being “phished”:

Be wary of email messages asking for personal financial information.
If you receive an email that threatens that your account is going to be shut down unless personal information is re-entered, be very suspicious. Contact the company directly and ask for further details.
Avoid using links to sites that are provided in the email. Instead, log on to the website by typing their web address into your browser or call the company directly to verify that the message is authentic. Remember, secure websites will begin with “https://” rather than “http://” and you should see a key or lock symbol on your browser.
Don't fill out forms in email messages that request personal information. This information should only be communicated via a secure website or telephone.
Keep and review all of your Credit Union and other financial account statements as soon as they are received, checking for unauthorized charges. If statements are late by more then a few days, call the company in question and confirm balance(s) and mailing address.

If you suspect fraud or identity theft on your NWFCU accounts email us at fraud@nwfcu.org. For information on the latest scams and more tips to avoid becoming a victim, visit www.antiphishing.org. Phishing crimes may be reported at www.cybercrime.gov or through National Credit Union Association's Fraud Hotline at 1-800-827-9650.