Avoid Imposter Scams
What is an imposter?
An imposter is a person who pretends to be someone else. Imposters may pretend to be someone you know, like:
a family member
a friend
a person you feel like you know but have not met in person
Imposters may pretend to be working for the government – maybe the IRS. Imposters may pretend to be from a company you trust, like:
a company you do business with – maybe your electric company
a company that can fix your computer
a company that gives out prizes
a charity that asks for donations
AN IMPOSTER MAY PRETEND TO BE EASTERN INDIANA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION!
What are imposter scams?
Imposters are dishonest people who want to steal your money or get your personal information. They might call you on the phone or send an email or text.
Imposters might say:
they are calling from a tech support company about a problem on your computer
you owe money to the IRS or another government agency
you just won a prize but you have to pay fees to get the prize
a friend is in trouble and needs your help
you got a check for too much money and you need to send back the extra
THEY MAY PRETEND TO BE EASTERN INDIANA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION TRYING TO “VERIFY” CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD TRANSACTIONS
Imposters might try to get you to pay them by asking you to buy a gift card or wire money. People who say you have to pay that way are always scammers trying to steal your money. Never send money to people you don’t know – or when you are not sure if they are who they say they are.
How Do Imposter Scams Work?
In an imposter scam, a dishonest person lies and tricks you into sending money to them. They might call you on the phone or send an email or text. Imposters might try to get you to pay them by asking you to buy a gift card or wire money.
They might say:
they are calling from a tech support company about a problem on your computer
you owe money to the IRS or another government agency
you just won a prize but you have to fees to get the prize
a friend is in trouble and needs your help
you got a check for too much money and you need to send back the extra
tHEY WILL TEXT AND/OR CALL FROM A “SPOOFED” EASTERN iNDIANA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION PHONE NUMBER
These are all tricks. If you pay with a gift card or wire money, the scammer will keep it. You will not get your money back.
IF YOU RECEIVE A TELEPHONE CALL OR A TEXT MESSAGE THAT CLAIMS TO BE FROM EASTERN iNDIANA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, YOU MUST NEVER PROVIDE YOUR PASSWORDS, USER IDS, FULL DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD NUMBERS, OR PINS, EVEN IF THE CALLER ID, TEXT, OR EMAIL SHOWS “eASTERN iNDIANA” AS THE SENDER.
Paying by gift card or wiring money is like sending cash. When you pay by gift card or wire money, you cannot get the money back.
How do I spot an imposter scam?
Most imposter scams look like this:
someone asks you to put money on a gift card or to wire money
A scammer might use different ways to convince you to send money. The scammer might say:
you have a problem with your computer and you have to pay to fix it
you owe taxes to the IRS
you won a prize, or inherited money, but you have to pay fees first
you won the lottery, but you have to pay some taxes first
a friend or family member is in trouble and needs you to send money to help
you got a check for too much money and need to send back the extra
These are all tricks. When you hear stories like these, you have spotted an imposter scam.
How do I avoid an imposter scam?
Scammers are good at being friendly. They also are good at fooling people. Here is how you can stop a scammer:
Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
If you answer the phone and the caller -or a recording- asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
Do not respond to any questions, especially those than can be answered with “Yes” or “No”.
Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords, or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.
Never send money to someone you do not know.
Never send money because someone contacted you:
even if you feel like you know the person
even if the person says he is your friend or related to you
EASTERN INDIANA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION WILL NEVER ASK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION WHEN CALLING YOU:
ONLINE BANKING PASSWORDS OR USER IDS
ONLINE BANKING SECURE ACCESS CODE OR ONE-TIME PASSWORD
PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN) FOR YOUR DEBIT OR CREDIT CARDS
FULL 16 DIGITS OF YOUR DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD NUMBER (IF YOU CONTACT US FIRST, WE MAY ASK YOU TO VERIFY THE LAST 4 DIGITS)
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (IF YOU CONTACT US FIRST, WE MAY ASK YOU TO VERIFY)
MEMBER NUMBER (IF YOU CONTACT US FIRST, WE MAY ASK YOU TO VERIFY)
WHEN IN DOUBT ABOUT ANY COMMUNICATION FROM EASTERN INDIANA, PLEASE PAUSE AND CONTACT US
What if I already sent money to someone I don’t know?
If you sent money to someone who contacted you, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Call the FTC at 1-877-382-4357
Go online: ftc.gov/complaint
The FTC uses complaints to build cases against scammers. Any information you can give helps investigators.
If you’re ever unsure of any communications you’ve received, or if you have any questions or concerns, please call us at (765) 529-6632.