New Telephone/Text Message "Vishing"/"SMiShing" Scam
SMiShing Alert (August 19, 2011):
A text message alert scam (SMiShing) regarding card deactivation is circulating in this area. Do not respond if you receive the following message:
MY CREDIT UNION ALERT: Your CARD has been DEACTIVATED. Please Contact us at 650-XXX-XXXX.
In July, a similar scam aimed at credit union members across the country indicated it was from Credit Union Services. Remember, financial institutions will never ask you for personal account information by e-mail, telephone, or text message unless you initiate the contact.
Vishing Alert (July 28, 2011):
Recently, Provident members were contacted over the phone by someone claiming to be from Inwood Credit Union and asking for account numbers and email addresses. Inwood has been closed for a few years now.
These are scams — do not respond and never provide your financial or personal information to an unknown or suspicious source. Remember, Provident will never ask you for personal account information by e-mail, telephone, or text message unless you initiate the contact.
If such an attempt is made on your Provident account, please contact us immediately regardless of whether or not you responded. Any information about the sender, specifically their phone number, will assist in fighting back against the fraudsters.
These recent attacks are a reminder of how important it is to safeguard your private banking information at all times. While most phishing is done via e-mail, these phishing attempts with alternate contact points are now common enough to have their own names: "Vishing" (Voice + Phishing) for when a phone is used, and SMiShing (SMS Messaging + Phishing) for when SMS text messages are used like in the example on the right.
