• Carefully check the sender's email address.
• Hover over links to reveal the full address before clicking.
• Watch for poor language, grammatical mistakes, or unprofessional designs.
• Be wary of requests that:
  • Create a sense of urgency; this can be a warning sign.
  • Pressure you to send money
  • Ask you to purchase gift cards or codes, wire transfer, or mail cash as a form of payment
  • Ask you to cash a check for a stranger
  • Ask you to deposit a check that overpays for something you're selling and then send the difference elsewhere
  • Ask for your personal identifiable information
• If you're uncertain, discard the email and verify its authenticity by contacting the company or individual through a different method.

Stolen or Altered Check Fraud

What it is:

A fraudster steals a check (from the mail, a drop box, etc.), then alters it by "washing" it (removing the ink and changing details such as who it's paid to, the amount, and the date). By the time the check gets cashed, it could look very different from how you originally wrote it. These stolen checks could also be used to obtain account information and withdraw funds.

What it looks like:

• Checks you wrote are being cashed for different amounts
• Checks clearing that you never sent

How to protect yourself:

• Use secure mailboxes or drop checks inside the post office
• Monitor your account regularly
• Consider electronic payments when possible
• Set up alerts for transactions over a certain dollar amount
• Review your account and statements regularly
• Double-check your check images within online/mobile banking and compare them to your checkbook's duplicate or carbon copy

Wire Transfer Fraud

What it is:

A scammer may pose as a business, government official, credit union employee, family member, or more and try to trick you into wiring money.

What it looks like:

• Last-minute “updated wiring instructions”
• Urgent requests tied to home purchases, invoices, or emergencies

How to protect yourself:

• Always verify wiring instructions using a trusted phone number
• Verify who you're sending money to
• Be cautious of last-minute changes
• Remember: wire transfers are usually irreversible

Cashier's Check Fraud

What it is:

Scammers have a couple of ways to use cashier's checks for fraud. One way is to send you a check that looks official, but it's actually fake. The scammer will then ask you to deposit the check, and send part of the money back. Another way scammers have used cashier's checks for fraud is by intercepting them in the mail, or asking you to send one to a fake business or individual.

What it looks like:

• Overpayment scams ("Keep some, send the rest back")
• Urgent requests tied to home purchases, invoices, or emergencies

How to protect yourself:

• Be cautious of unexpected checks
• If it feels too good to be true, it probably is
• Only pay people you know and trust
• Deliver checks in person or by tracked/certified mail

Mobile Deposit Fraud

What it is:

A scam involving fake or altered checks deposited through mobile banking.

What it looks like:

• Someone asks you to deposit a check and send them part of the funds
• Duplicate deposits of the same check

How to protect yourself:

• Only deposit checks from trusted sources
• Never share check images
• Don't send money from a deposit you're unsure about
• Don't deposit checks on behalf of someone else

Unauthorized ACH Transactions

What it is:

Unauthorized electronic withdrawals or deposits from your account using your routing and account number. 

What it looks like:

• Unknown companies pulling funds out of your account
• Recurring withdrawals you didn't approve
• A scammer asking for your banking details to issue you a refund, prize money, or from a fake job.

How to protect yourself:

• Review your account deposits and withdrawals on a regular basis
• Report unauthorized transactions immediately to us
• Do not give out your account information
• Set up alerts for transactions through Card Controls

Point-of-Sale Fraud

What it is:

Fraud that occurs when your card is used at a store or terminal, often due to skimming, compromised systems, or a scammer watching you enter your PIN.

What it looks like:

• Charges from places you've never visited
• Multiple small "test" transactions

How to protect yourself:

• Use chip or contactless payment when possible
• Cover your hand when typing in your PIN
• Monitor transactions and set up alerts through Card Controls
• Turn cards on/off as needed through Card Controls
• Report missing cards or funds immediately

Credential Theft Fraud

What it is:

Scammers will trick you into giving out your banking login credentials or verification codes. 

What it looks like:

• Scammers can spoof a credit union's phone number (so the phone call appears to be coming from the credit union when it's not), and they will ask you to "verify" your account details or login information.
• Phone calls or emails coming from unknown numbers/emails requesting your information to "stop fraud"
• Fake login pages

How to protect yourself:

• Never share your login information or one-time codes
• Only login through official apps or websites
• Remember: We will NEVER ask you for this information

Debit and Credit Card Fraud

What it is:

Unauthorized use of your debit or credit card information through skimmers, hacked websites, or phishing.

• Skimmers allow the scammer to scan your purse or wallet to retrieve your card information.

What it looks like:

• Purchases you didn't make
• Card declines due to suspicious activity
• Purse or wallet is quickly being scanned or close to an unknown individual

How to protect yourself:

• Turn on transaction alerts through Card Controls
• Place your cards in wallets, purses, or card sleeves with RFID protection - this stops scammers from being able to use skimmers to retrieve your card information
• Review your transactions regularly
• Immediately report lost or stolen cards to us

Credit Union Impersonation Scam

A scammer will do everything they can to appear like a real credit union employee attempting to assist you with your account.

Typical Phishing and SMishing scenario:

Posing as a credit union fraud department employee, the scammer sends a spoofed email or text message to a member alerting them to suspicious debit card activity. Instructions urge the member to reply to the original message with account details, card numbers, CV2 codes, PINs, or other online account credentials. Phishing and SMishing give the scammer valuable data they can use to make unauthorized charges or access the member’s account.

Typical Vishing Scenario:

Posing as a credit union representative, the scammer contacts the member using a spoofed phone number. The caller claims they must discuss an important matter, but they must first confirm the member’s identity. The scammer is already on the credit union’s online banking website and informs the member they must provide the PIN sent to the member’s phone or answer security questions. Since the caller says they’re from the credit union and the number appears to confirm it, the member doesn’t hesitate to provide the requested information.

Vishing allows the scammer to use the information provided by the member to complete the login. They then proceed to lock the member out of their account by changing the online banking password. The fraudster then transfers funds from the member’s account to their own temporary account before vanishing without a trace. The caller might even encourage the member to transfer funds to an external account claiming that the payment will be applied to a specific credit union loan.

How to Protect Yourself from Credit Union Impersonation Scams

• Never share private information via SMS text message. Legitimate attempts to validate credit or debit card activity only requires a simple response (YES or NO) via text.
• Do not click on hyperlinked phone numbers sent via SMS text or on links inside emails.
• Pause before providing personal data via voice calls you did not initiate, even if the caller ID reads “FinancialEdge Credit Union” or appears to be our phone number. Hang up and contact us directly.

If you suspect a call might be fraudulent, please hang up and contact us directly at 989-892-6088. If you believe you have fallen victim to fraud or notice any unauthorized transactions on your account, please inform us right away so we can take appropriate action.