Known Scams
Wire Transfer Fraud
Never send money via MoneyGram, Ria, or Western Union to someone you haven't met in person. Do not send money to anyone claiming to work for a federal agency such as the FTC, IRS, SSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or a well-known firm. The government will never request that you send money in this manner.
Furthermore, never wire money to anyone who encourages you to pay right away, or who claims that a wire transfer is the only way to pay. Finally, never wire money to anyone who offers to sell you something over the phone. It is illegal for a telemarketer to request payment via wire transfer. (Federal Trade Commission)
Gift Card Fraud
Gift cards are commonly used in fraud schemes. If anyone asks you to send them gift cards (especially if you do not know the person well), please assume that it is fraud. Gift cards are often involved with “IRS” scams, employment fraud, and many, many others. If a transaction or situation seems too good to be true, it likely is. Or if a person is threatening or intimidating you to buy and send them gift cards, please do not fulfill their request. Instead, report the perpetrator to your local police.
Check Fraud
This type of fraud often victimizes people who are trying to sell something online. The fraudster will offer to send you a check in excess of your sale price. They will tell you to keep a certain amount (usually more than you were asking for) then remit the difference back to them. They may ask you to wire the money or to send it in the form of a cashier's check, money order, or gift cards. Typically what happens is, once you’ve sent a portion of the money back to them, their original check will bounce. They will get to keep the money you sent them, while you’re left on the hook for the full amount of their original check.
"IRS" Scam
Fraudsters have been known to make calls, posing as "IRS" agents, to intimidate and cheat people out of money. The fraudster usually instructs the victim to make payment in the form of gift cards to avoid punishment, such as imprisonment. If you receive such a call, please hang up!
Telephone & Email Scams
Telephone scammers will either try to steal your money or your personal information. Telephone scams can happen either by a call from a real person, a robocall, or a text message. The caller will often make false promises. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. Rather than false promises, scammers may try to intimidate you into giving them money or personal information. Remember that ActorsFCU, the IRS, or any other government agency will not call you to obtain money or personal information over the phone. If you get a call from a charity requesting a donation, do your own research before agreeing to contribute money. Unfortunately, fraudsters have been known to pose as fake charity organizations to take advantage of a person's generosity.
Employment Posting Fraud / Secret Shopper
Employment posting fraud typically takes one of two approaches. The first approach is that bogus employers will post jobs online with the intention of collecting personal information through job applications and email correspondence. This is a phishing scam. The second approach is that bogus employers will “hire” an individual and pay them with a check. The check will be written in an amount much greater than the salary due. The “employee” will then be instructed to deposit the check into their bank account and return the overpayment back to the “employer” either through a wire, cashier's check, money order, or gift cards. This scam is commonly perpetrated with job postings for Secret Shoppers.
Lottery & Sweepstakes Scams
Lottery and sweepstakes scams are usually perpetrated through email. People will be notified by email that they have been randomly selected as the winner of an international lottery or sweepstakes. They will then be instructed to contact a phone number or email address to claim their winnings. The prizes stated are typically large (e.g. $500,000). The lottery office will then ask the “winner” for an initial fee ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 in order to process their claim. In the end, the “winnings” are never paid and the “winner” loses the money they paid for the initial fee. Bottom line, if it seems too good to be true, it likely is.
Check-Washing
Check-washing occurs when a criminal “washes” the ink off of a legitimately written check. After the washing process, the fraudster is left with a blank check that they can rewrite for any amount or purpose they choose. Checks involved in this type of fraud are usually intercepted in one way or another, such as being stolen from mailboxes. For this reason, it may be safer to pay bills online, either through direct billing or through a service such as ActorsFCU's ePay$ Bill Pay.
Card Skimmers
The magnetic strip on the back of ATM, debit, and credit cards are used to store information such as account number and expiration date. Card skimmers are small devices placed over or within a legitimate card reader to capture the information stored within a card’s magnetic strip. The stolen information can then be used to create counterfeit cards and make fraudulent purchases.
Fraudsters typically place card skimmers on gas pumps, ATM machines, and other payment kiosks. Skimmers can be difficult to spot, even when you know what to look for. One line of defense is to visually and physically inspect the card reader before inserting your card. If the card reader is loosely attached or appears to be tampered with, do not insert your card. A second line of defense is using our CardNav app to gain greater control of your cards.
