Dollars & Sense 101 || What to Know about Scams & Fraud

What to Know about Scams & Fraud

ID and Financial Security Protection: The Who-What-When-Where-Why-How-If

Cedar Point Federal Credit Union is dedicated to protecting our members from becoming victims of the various fraud schemes constantly targeting your accounts.

We are engaged and committed to putting up a good fight, but we need your help to keep your funds and information safe. Your best defense is being aware of fraud schemes and what to do to protect yourself. By knowing the Who-What-When-Where-Why-How & Ifs of fraud, you decrease the risk of becoming a victim of fraud.

WHO are targets: Seniors, Vulnerable Adults, Anyone with a computer, phone, or account.
WHAT type of scams: Romance Scams, Gift Card or Cryptocurrency Scams, Fake Tech Support Scams, Employment Scams, Account Takeovers. These are only a few of the more common scams.
WHEN am I targeted: At your most vulnerable time- Divorce, Death of a loved one, online surfing or banking, unemployed or underemployed, carelessly clicking on links or ads.
WHERE are they: Popups, your home or cell phone, text messages, virus alerts, emails.
WHY am I a victim: You clicked on a malicious link, replied to a scammer's unsolicited text or email, provided sensitive financial information, accepted payment for a job before doing any work.
HOW to avoid a scam: Awareness, protecting sensitive financial information, using our fraud-protection resources, resisting the pressure to act immediately, stopping and talking to someone you trust.
IF I become a victim: report all scams to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/. Contact your financial institution(s). If a gift card is involved, contact the company that issued it. Pull a credit report from one or all of the credit bureaus which include Experian, Equifax, TransUnion, and Innovis. Click on any of these bureau names to file a fraud report. For more info, visit OnGuardOnline.