Online Branch

Protect Yourself

Don't let the criminals win

Keep your friends close.

And your financial information closer.

Questions?

Fraud Prevention 101

As fraud threats become more prevalent, sophisticated and malicious; it's our priority to help safeguard your confidential information. Here are some of our best tips:

Do a little research. A quick search of the Better Business Bureau will let you know if the company or organization you're working with is legit.
Pay the safe way. Credit cards are the easiest way to dispute charges you never made or for goods/services you never received.
Be safe online. Don't send your card or personal information over email. And check for "https" in the URL of any site you're giving personal information to.
Don't give into pressure or threats. If someone is asking you to act immediately or telling you may be arrested, it's likely a scam. Take the time to investigate before giving away money or personal information.
Stay on top of card purchases. You're automatically enrolled in fraud alerts, but it's always a good idea to monitor your card activity for anything suspicious.

Stay alert

Financial institutions around the country are reporting phishing attacks where criminals are posing as a fraud team representative from the institution. Here are a few recent examples:

Criminals call/text/email potential victims to "verify" private information so they can access online accounts and drain them of their funds. Many times they are able to spoof the bank or credit union's phone number so it looks like it's coming from the actual institution.
Criminals are receiving authentication layers (such as security codes, password, etc.) and then calling the bank or credit union to put a "travel alert" on the card so they can more easily commit fraud in other states.
After stealing the authentication layers from you, the fraudster resets your user name and password to get into your online banking account. Once in, they change the listed phone number and email address to their own contact information to re-route micro deposits and verification codes.

What can you do?

If you get a suspicious call from us, hang up immediately and then call us at 309-793-6200 or 800-722-0333. That way we can confirm the legitimacy of the call or know of the attempted attack.

Real & Recent Fraud We've Seen

IHMVCU Fraud Department Scam

Fraudsters are calling or texting members posing as our IHMVCU fraud department. When they call, they’re asking members to verify a charge on their card. After discussing the charge, they are sending a code to the member’s cell phone number to verify their identity. Fraudsters are also telling members not to answer phone calls from IHMVCU's fraud department.

Through text, they're alerting our members of fake fraud charges. The initial text message looks fairly legitimate - asking members to verify the charge with a "Y" or "N", but when the member responds "N" in this case, the fraudster texts them a fraudulent URL to click on. Please note: Text messages coming from our fraud department will 1) always come from a 5-digit phone number (not any 10 or 11-digit number like in the example below), 2) provide you more detailed information about the charge and 3) will not ask you to click on a URL after you respond.

If either of these encounters happens to you, hang up/don't respond. Then give us a call at 309-793-6200 or send us a message through our secure chat.

Anti-Virus Scam

We have been seeing an increase in anti-virus scams. Listed below are the two most common scenarios:

The member receives an email from Norton saying they are going to renew their subscription, but the member doesn't have a subscription or is unaware of a renewal. The member is worried and does not want to be charged so they call the number in the email. The FAKE Norton representative will say “we already charged your account but if you provide us access to your login and password, we will issue a credit”. Then the fraudster will log on to the member’s online account and transfer money from their visa credit card, loan, savings, etc. The fraudster will then provide a screenshot to the member or have the member log in to their online account saying, “oops I credited too much money, you will need to wire or go buy gift cards and send that money back to me”. This is a scam. All the fraudsters did was transfer funds from a different suffix type and then the member will send back their funds and are out the money.
The member will get a pop-up or see an advertisement about free anti-virus protection. The member will call the Norton phone number on the ad. A FAKE Norton representative will answer and start prompting the member to give the Norton representative their online account information, including their login and password. Then the fraudster will log on to the member’s online account and transfer money from their visa credit card, loan, savings, etc. The fraudster then provides a screenshot to the member or has the member log in to their online account saying, “oops I credited too much money, you will need to wire or buy gift cards to send that money back to me”. This is a scam. All the fraudsters did was transfer funds from a different suffix type and then the member will send back their funds and are out the money.

If you encounter any of these situations, please contact the fraud department. We'll need to take action, such as; restrict online access, change account number, create code word, suggest credit freeze (if applicable), etc.

Fraud techniques

Criminals aren't stealing your wallet anymore. They've found an easier way. Now that your phone is always at arm's length, criminals are using it to their advantage. Take a look at how criminals are stealing your information so you can stay better protected.

Phishing: using fraudulent emails, web sites, pop-ups, criminals try to lure you into divulging personal information
Vishing: similar to phishing, criminals use voice recordings to scare you into providing personal information
Pharming: criminals go all out using voicemail, text messages, phone calls and emails to lure you into calling them and giving bank account information
Smishing: using text messages to get you to click on fake links that could download viruses to your phone

ATM Tips

Check for skimming devices. Wiggle the card reader and make sure it doesn’t feel loose. There shouldn’t be any give on a real ATM card reader or loose attachment stuck to the machine.
Cover your PIN. When you input your PIN, guard the keypad with your other hand, even if there’s no one else around. Criminals have been known to install cameras to the front of ATMs to record users as they input their personal information.
Have someone inspect the ATM. If you’re suspicious of a machine, have a bank/credit union staff inspect it before you use it.
Avoid outdoor or public ATMs. If no one is around, outdoor ATMs are an easy place for criminals to attach skimming devices and make a quick exit.

Quick reminders for IHMVCU members

IHMVCU is committed to helping you protect yourself from identity theft and fraud. We would like to remind members:

We will never call requesting account information including Online Branch username and password.
We will never send you an email or text message requesting verification of account information Online Branch username and password.
Your caller ID may show IHMVCU’s real phone number, but criminals can easily disguise this to show any ID and phone number they desire.
If you receive a call you believe may be genuine, you should not ignore the possibility that there may be fraudulent activity on your account. Ask the caller for specific details, hang up and callus at 309-793-6200 or 800-722-0333 to verify.
We have your account information on file. If you contact us, we’ll verify your ID with specific information.

What to do if you fall victim to a scam?

Call IHMVCU at 309-793-6200 or 800-722-0333. We’ll assist you in protecting your IHMVCU accounts.
If you use Online Branch, log in immediately and change your password.
Contact your local police department or law enforcement agency and inquire about filing a report.
If you’ve disclosed sensitive or personal information, we recommend you contact one of the three major credit bureaus and inquire about placing a fraud alert on your file. This'll prevent criminals from opening accounts and using your information. Below are the phone numbers for the fraud divisions at each bureau:

Experian: 888-397-3742
TransUnion: 800-680-7289
Equifax: 800-525-6285