Scammers are targeting people with fraudulent e-mails claiming that an unauthorized ACH transaction has taken place. The subject line reads "Unauthorized ACH Transaction" and the e-mail includes a link that redirects recipients to a fake web page where malware will be downloaded to victims' computers. See a sample of the e-mail below.

= = = = = Sample E-mail = = = = = =

From: Information
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 8:27 AM
To: Doe, John
Subject: Unauthorized ACH Transaction

Dear bank account holder,

The ACH transaction, recently initiated from your bank account, was rejected by the Electronic Payments Association. Please review the transaction report by clicking the link below:

Unauthorized ACH Transaction Report

Do not follow website links in unsolicited e-mails from unknown parties or when e-mails seem suspicious or unusual. If you suspect your computer has been infected with malware or a virus, contact a computer security expert.

Credit union members have reported receiving fraudulent e-mails that tell them they must reset their account password in order to prevent unauthorized access to their accounts. The e-mail instructs members to click a link to reset their password, but this e-mail is fraudulent.

PEFCU would never contact you by e-mail to request that you change your password. If you received this e-mail and clicked one of the links, please contact PEFCU immediately at 765.497.3328 or 800.627.3328.

Source: National Credit Union Administration

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is warning credit union members to be cautious with e-mails. NCUA reports that fraudulent e-mails claiming to be from NCUA are asking credit union members to participate in an online survey or member survey in return for $40.

These e-mails are phishing attempts to obtain members' personal information. NCUA would never contact credit union members directly. If you have questions please contact your credit union or NCUA directly at pacamail@ncua.gov.

A phishing e-mail is being to PEFCU members purportedly from PEFCU. The fraudulent e-mail tells members that we have temporarily blocked access to their account due to unauthorized access of the account. Please DO NOT click on any links within such an e-mail or provide your card information. See the sample fraudulent e-mail below.

Dear Customer,

This e-mail was send by purdueefcu.com to notify you that we have temporanly prevented access to your account.

We have reasons to beleive that your account may have been accessed by someone else.

Please click on the following link (or copy & paste it into your web browser):

http://katjusza.home.pl/instructions.exe

(C) purdueefcu.com

Advertisements have been posted nationwide on Craigslist requesting that credit union members help non-members qualify for membership. The ads offer $75 or more for assistance. These advertisements are scam. Credit union members do not receive the promised money for helping non-members gain membership and in some cases their membership numbers are compromised. Ad examples follow.

If you're a ABC Credit Union Member MAKE SOME EXTRA $$
This is NOT a scam! I am willing to call you and discuss extensively! I need a ABC Credit Union member to sponsor me into the credit union. I am willing to pay $100 USD for thi service. Please e-mail me and we can discuss in detail. This is a one-day process and I want to become a member for investment account/interest rate purposes.

Need to find a XYZ Credit Union Member
I was just approved for a Visa credit card with XYZ Federal Credit Union and they called me and said that they cannot process the application if I do not know any existing member or if I am not employed at one of the listed companies they have. To become a member you have to know a member. So now my app is on hold until I can find someone who is already a member. If you know someone, please tell them to contact me. I am willing to pay $500. And all they ask for is the member's name and membership number. Thanks.

The Indiana Credit Union League is warning residents about a scam targeting individuals with auto leases coming due. Scammers posing as brokers contact the leasees by phone and say the scammers' company has taken over or purchased the lease from the original company. The scammers direct the leasees to a credit union to obtain a loan to pay off the lease and purchase the vehicle. The scammers provide an address where the pay-off check should be mailed.

Follow these tips to avoid a loss:

• Financial institutions do not generally sell their lease contracts.
• Obtain a Written Purchase Order/Buyout Order that can be verified. Scammers will not usually have the 10-day payoff information.
• Follow the closing note instructions from the original underwriter.
• Verify lease terms and conditions with their original lease holding company.
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• Do not use contact information provided by someone on the phone. Refer to your original paperwork for phone numbers and addresses
• Use caution if you respond to an e-mail or phone call requesting you to confirm, update or provide account information.
• Use caution if anyone requests that you send or ship money, a check or wire transfers to a company different from the one you dealt with initially.

You know you should review your credit report annually and look for signs of fraudulent activity, but how often do you scrutinize your receipts? In this new scam, store employees add cash back to your credit or debit card purchases even though you don't request cash back. Then they either pocket the money or give it to their friends who are behind you in line. Avoid falling victim to this new scam by looking at your receipts closely before you complete your transactions.

Purdue students have reported a telephone phishing scam that appears to be from PEFCU. As part of this scam they ask you for your card number in order to lower your credit card interest rate. Remember, PEFCU representatives will not call you to ask for this information because we have your card number in our records. If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a PEFCU employee, do not provide him/her with your card account number or security code.

Common telephone phishing scams appear to be from financial institutions and callers ask you for sensitive information (like your password, Social Security number, or credit card numbers). If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a PEFCU employee or other financial service representative from VISA or MasterCard, do not provide him/her with any personal information.

If you have fallen victim to one of these calls, please do the following:
Contact a PEFCU representative at 765.497.3328 or 800.627.3328.
Contact the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions at 800.382.4880.
Contact your nearest law enforcement agency.

The current economic conditions are luring thousands of unsuspecting victims into believing they've been chosen as a mystery or secret shopper to evaluate customer service for retailers and restaurants. Such jobs do exist, but to ensure you work for a legitimate company, visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association Web site at www.mysteryshop.org. From there you can view its members and register with potential employers.

1. They include genuine logos from the Better Business Bureau, Mystery Shopping Providers Association and other well-known and legitimate organizations.
2. They use fake testimonials from people claiming they made a lot of money in a short time.
3. They ask applicants to send a resume and may ask for personal information like Social Security numbers.
4. They include a privacy or ethics statement, or disclaimer.
5. Many advance payment mystery shopper scams include a package of guidelines on how to do the job and a set of forms that are supposed to be completed and returned to the company after the shopper evaluates a company.
6. Online sites say their service is free, when they are really gateways to other sites that charge for work kits.
7. They advertise on credible Web sites, TV and radio stations, and in reputable publications.

Follow these rules to avoid becoming a victim:

• Don't respond to a request by e-mail or mail to become a mystery shopper.
• Never cash a check and then wire back a portion of the money.
• Don't pay to sign up to be a mystery shopper.
• Watch for poor grammar and spelling

A recent online shopping scam involves poorly protected legitimate Web sites. When individuals make a purchase on some such sites, a pop–up window opens. The window offers utilities and services and may be titled "Shoppers Advantage" or "Privacy Guard", among others. Once people click on the window, they are signed up for the service and the credit card number they used to make their legitimate purchase is charged each month for the unwanted service.

Avoid scams like this and be a smart online shopper by following a few simple tips:

• Turn on your pop-up blocker within your Web browser.
• If a pop-up box does open, only click the "x" box in the upper right-hand corner to close it.
• Only shop online with companies you know and trust.
• Check the Web site's privacy policy before submitting personal information.
• Ensure you are on a secure Web site by looking for a screen notice, a closed padlock or unbroken key icon, or a Web address that begins with "https".

You may have been contacted recently by a telephone phishing scam that appears to be from PEFCU. As part of this scam they ask you to enter your card account number. Remember, PEFCU representatives will not call you to ask for this information. If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a PEFCU employee, do not provide him/her with your card account number or security code.

Common telephone phishing scams appear to be from financial institutions and callers ask you for sensitive information (like your password, Social Security number, or credit card numbers). If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a PEFCU employee or other financial service representative from VISA or MasterCard, do not provide him/her with any personal information.

If you have fallen victim to one of these calls, please do the following:

• Contact a PEFCU representative at 765.497.3328 or 800.627.3328.
• Contact the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions at 800.382.4880.
• Contact your nearest law enforcement agency.

Young people around the country are being targeted by criminals through Internet sites and e-mails. In this latest scam, criminals contact individuals claiming to need a babysitter or nanny for their children when they soon move to America from another country. Individuals are asked to deposit a money order into their bank accounts and wire back some of the funds. The original money orders are counterfeit and the young victims are responsible for repaying the money to their financial institutions when the money orders are returned. Protect yourself from scams such as these by not cashing money orders or checks from people and organizations you do not know.

Members recently reported receiving text messages allegedly from PEFCU. The text messages tell members that their PEFCU accounts have been closed and ask members to call a provided phone number.

PEFCU will never communicate via text message regarding closing your accounts. If there is a problem with any of your accounts, PEFCU will contact affected members through telephone calls or mailed letters. If you receive a text message purportedly from PEFCU about your accounts, please do not respond to the text message because it is fraudulent. Remember to never give out your account information to an unknown person and if you have questions, please contact PEFCU at 800.627.3328 or 765.497.3328.

Recently, a similar scam occurred where credit union members reported receiving text messages stating their credit union is deactivating or restricting their credit or debit cards, or accounts due to unusual activity. The messages ask members to call a number for reactivation. These messages are attempts to gain your personal account information. Remember that your credit union will never contact you by text-message or e-mail stating your card or account will be deactivated or restricted.

If you receive such a message claiming to be from PEFCU or any other credit union, do not respond using the telephone number provided in the message and never give out your account information over the phone. Contact your credit union using a trusted number—to reach PEFCU call 800.627.3328 or 765.497.3328.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning taxpayers to be alert for e-mail and telephone scams promoting advance payment checks using the IRS name. Scammers are using these e-mails and telephone calls to get individuals' personal information including Social Security numbers, bank account or credit card numbers.

Avoid being a victim of these scams by never providing your personal information via e-mail or telephone.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

PEFCU Cardholder Phishing Attempts

Attempt 1: Members have reported receiving an e-mail request from PEFCU to "complete an account update so we can unlock your account" by calling a toll-free number, and a telephone call offering to lower. This e-mail is NOT from PEFCU and we believe it is an attempt to snag your personal cardholder information. Do not respond to this e-mail.

Attempt 2: Members have reported receiving automated telephone calls purportedly from PEFCU offering to lower their current credit card rates. The callers request members to provide their credit card numbers after selecting "1" to lower their rate.

Remember, PEFCU would never ask for your card number and/or expiration date by e-mail or by phone. If you recently responded to an e-mail suspected to be from PEFCU, please call the PEFCU Contact Center at 765.497.3328 or 800.627.3328 or e-mail a PEFCU representative at mbrservice@purdueefcu.com.

Child ID theft is a growing financial problem.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft reports for victims under 18 years old increased from 6,512 in 2003 to 10,835 in 2006 representing 5 percent of all identity thefts. The report lists teens as particularly vulnerable because of their increased access to the internet. One concern is that the identity theft may go unnoticed until many years later, when the victim becomes an adult and applies for a credit card. Authorities say that often the crime is committed by the children's own parents or relatives, who apply for credit using the child's social security number.

These crimes can go unreported because victims who do eventually discover the crimes do not seek legal ramifications against loved ones. The vice president of public education at Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, advises parents to "monitor their child's online activity; do not ignore the junk mail the child receives; if they sign up their child for a magazine subscription to put it under their name; and do not let children keep their Social Security cards in their wallets." Moreover, if parents suspect their children's identity was stolen, they should check immediately to see if a credit file was created on their child.

Source: STLtoday.com

Fake check scams are becoming more common and can cost you a lot of money! Most commonly, these scams are targeted at people who are selling something via advertisement (online, newspaper, etc). These scammers often say he/she is from another country, claiming difficult/complicated money sending. The scammer will then tell you that someone in the US who owes them money will send you a check--often it will be for more than the sale price of the good for sale. Then, the scammer will ask you to keep your share of the money and to wire the rest to the scammer. The checks may look real; but they are fake! Do not deposit these checks!

This scam has different variations, common ones are: work from home jobs and sweepstakes winnings "advance".

You are responsible for checks you deposit, so if you feel you may have a check from one of these scams report it immediately to the National Fraud Information Center, 800-876-7060, http://www.fraud.org.

Some helpful Web sites with more information:

• www.fakechecks.org
• www.fraud.org
• www.ftc.gov

The most recent telemarketing scam involves automated telephone solicitation calls where the automated attendant states there is a "problem with your credit card", encouraging you to press a number to speak to a live person who can help you with the "problem with your credit card". When call recipients press the number the automated attendant provides, the call is forwarded to a live person who then asks if you are waiting to speak to someone to lower your credit card APR, extending your credit line, etc. At this point, the caller will try to sell some type of credit line product.

Although Indiana does have a Telephone Privacy Law which protects consumers from unwanted sales calls, we have received reports of telephone solicitations made to households that are on the Indiana No Call List.

This type of call violates the No Call Provision of the Indiana Telephone Privacy Act. Such calls should be reported to the Attorney General. Visit http://telephoneprivacy.inatg.us/ or call 800-382-5516 to report this type of call activity or to add your phone number to the No Call registry.

From ScamBusters.org

If you want to be sure you're not the next victim of a foreign lottery scam, here are five tips:

• First of all, playing any kind of cross-border lottery system is a violation of Federal law, and law enforcement officials ARE paying attention. IOW, it's illegal. Don't do it!
• You can't win a prize in a lottery if you didn't buy a lottery ticket.
• Real lotteries don't ask you to pay a fee. If you have to write a check to win a lottery prize, it's a scam. IOW, never, ever send any money for 'processing fees,' or share any other financial information, in order to claim a prize.
• Never fill out any prize forms or 'claims' either through snail mail or online -- you may end up on scammers' 'sucker' lists as a result, which means you'll just get more solicitations.
• Don't believe -- or pay for -- any 'secret systems' that will help you win lotteries. If someone really had a foolproof secret system to win lotteries, why would they sell it to you?