La Loma Federal Credit Union is committed to helping our members stay safe and alert this Summer Season. Please stay alert and avoid becoming a victim of a scam. Scammers have become increasingly adept to getting personal information through phone and email. Here are some helpful tips to help keep your information safe.

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Beware of Call Scams

La Loma is committed to providing you with the knowledge to detect fraudulent activity so you can protect your finances.

Scammers are pretending to be Government Employees. They may threaten you and may demand immediate payment via Wire or GIFT CARDs. Do not be fooled!

Be Alert when sending money overseas, only send money to individuals you know.

Be Alert!!!

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Scammers are also pretending to be Financial Institution Employees. For example, scammers may know you're a Member of La Loma FCU. They’ll fake the number they’re calling from to make it look like they’re from the Credit Union. They may say they’re alerting you to a purchase and ask whether you made that purchase. This is something many financial institutions do, which is why scammers know most people will take it seriously. BUT the thing that they'll do, which your financial institution will never do is ask you to give up personal information such as your member number or account number, online banking user name or password.

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If you receive one of these calls or texts, don't give them any information. Call La Loma FCU immediately at 909.796.0206 to confirm whether there’s an issue with your account. 

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Be wary of internet scams:

• Payment requests via Gift Cards or Gift Card claim codes

• Payments that are made off a merchants site (be cautious if directed from the merchants site)

• Offers that seem too good to be true

• Payments to receive large sums of money

• Payments to someone whose identity you can’t confirm

• Be cautious of suspicious emails

 

Beware of Zelle and Cash App Scams:

• Only use P2P services to pay friends or businesses you know and trust.

• Use caution if a service provider requests money through Zelle or Cash APP.

• When in doubt always contact the merchant directly instead of using links or phone numbers given from emails or text messages.

• Be wary of these common Zelle and Cash App Scams: once the payment is sent it cannot be cancelled or disputed.

• Romance Scam

  • Scammers will use online relationships to charm individuals into sending money or gifts.

• Fake Invoice Scam

  • Scammers send invoice emails or text messages that appear to be from a business.

• Emergency Phone Scam

  • A scammer will ask someone to use their phone for an emergency and quickly send a payment to a 3rd party.

• Phishing Scam

  • Scammers send emails or text messages that appear to be from a financial institution asking users to provide personal information.

• Lottery Scam

  • Scammers send emails or text messages from a lottery company offering a prize of some sort.

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Please stay alert and avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Fraudsters have become increasingly adept to getting personal information through phone and email. Here are some helpful tips to help keep your information safe.

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Check your account:

La Loma FCU offers mobile and home banking to help you stay up to date with your daily transactions. Regularly check your account(s) online to monitor balances and spending. This can serve as a first line of defense against unauthorized use.

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Be cautious when using Money Transfer Apps:

Make sure any payment site you use is secure and that your bank and personal information is encrypted. If the money transfer app or site requires a password, make sure you use a strong one. It is recommended to only send money to people you know, avoid using money transfer apps to make purchases from unknown parties.

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Think like a detective:

If it’s too good to be true, is probably is. If you receive a check in the mail from an unknown party, let La Loma FCU know about it and we can assist with getting additional information. It is recommended to never deposit a check into your personal account from an unknown party.

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Have a strong password:

A unique password acts as a deadbolt on your account. It’s always good to update your online banking passwords regularly. By changing your password regularly, it can help lower the odds of your password being stolen or decoded by fraudsters.

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Don’t reveal personal information to unknown parties:

Phone calls, emails, and text messages can be masked to look like they are coming from a trusted source when they are actually from an unknown party. Play it safe, do not send your personal information such as account numbers, social security numbers, passwords, etc. via phone or email.

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Be careful with shopping online:

Be cautious when setting up automatic payments and saved passwords from online merchants. Always remember to never send money to unknown parties.

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Please report any suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov.