Member Alerts

FEDCom Credit Union cares about its members and the safety of their personal information. For this reason we want our members to be aware that FEDCom Credit Union will never solicit information from you via email or text message. If you receive any email requesting personal information do not respond to it. Instead contact FEDCom at (616) 364-7283 or toll free at (888) 364-6928 and let us know what you have received.

From FEDCom CU - 02/02/09

Details:
Some FEDCom members are reporting that they are receiving unsolicited text messages. It's an attempt at Smishing, the latest form of phishing. In Smishing, an e-mail tries to lure a recipient into giving personal information via SMS, the communications protocol used to send text messages to a wireless device. The recent scam has been targeting credit union and other financial institution members.

In smishing, the members receive a text message via cell phone warning that their bank account has been closed due to suspicious activity. It then tells them they need to call a certain phone number to reactivate the account.

Unsuspecting callers who dial the number provided in the text message will be taken to an automated voice mail box that prompts them to key in their credit card or debit card number, expiration date, and PIN to verify their information.

If you have a question concerning your account or credit/debit card, contact FEDCom Credit Union using a telephone number obtained independently, such as the phone number from your statement, a telephone book, or other independent means.

From FEDCom CU - 10/23/08

A FEDCom member has reported that she had received a phone call from someone claiming to be an investigator for the credit union and that he is investigating past fraudulent account activity. He then went on to say that he has recovered funds which will be deposited into your account in the amount of $500 minus his legal fees. He then asks you to provide or verify your personal account information.

Any member receiving such a call should not give out any information and immediately contact the credit union at (616) 364-7283. Please remember that FEDCom CU will never contact any member and request personal information.

From CUNA Mutual Group - 02/15/08

Details:
The Internal Revenue Service has issued an alert, warning that the IRS name and logo is being used by fraudsters attempting to access the taxpayer financial information through e-mail, telephone, and cell phone text messaging.

Note: The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited e-mail, telephone calls, or text messaging. 

The following scams are being used to trick taxpayers into divulging financial account information for fraudulent purposes:

• Taxpayers receive a phone calls telling them that they are eligible for a sizable rebate for filing their taxes early, and they are told to provide their financial account information for direct deposit.
• Taxpayers receive e-mails that claim they are eligible for a tax refund of a specific amount, and they are instructed to click on the link in the e-mail to access the refund claim form, which requires them to disclose financial account information.
• E-mail notifications addressed to individual taxpayers claim that their tax returns will be audited. The individual is instructed to click on the link within the e-mail and complete forms disclosing personal and financial account information.
• Businesses, accountants, and “Treasury” managers are receiving bogus e-mails regarding tax law changes. To obtain information on publications for businesses, estates taxes, excise taxes, exempt organizations, as well as IRAs and other retirement plans, the recipient is instructed to click on a series of links. The IRS suspects that clicking on these links downloads “malware” onto the recipient’s computer, which can be used to search for financial records and other private information.
• A person claiming to be an IRS employee telephones taxpayers to say the IRS has mailed them a check that has not been cashed. The caller then asks for verification of financial account information. 

If you receive an unsolicited e-mail purporting to be from the IRS, take the following steps:

• Do not open any attachments to the e-mail; they could contain malicious code that will infect your computer.
• Forward a questionable e-mail claiming to be from the IRS to phishing@irs.gov.
• Use instructions contained in an article online at www.irs.gov titled “How to Protect Yourself from Suspicious E-Mails or Phishing Schemes.” http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=155344,00.html
• Contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to determine whether the IRS is trying to contact you about a tax refund.
• Remember that taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain a refund.
• If you have received this, or a similar hoax, please file a complaint at www.ic3.gov.