Beware of Scams: Salal Credit Union will never contact you directly to verify information such as, the last four of your card number, your PIN, or CVV code on the back of your debit or credit card.
It’s important for us all to stay alert to the latest scams attempted by criminals to gain personal financial data. Some Salal members have recently reported receiving text messages and phone calls from fraudsters indicating they are from Salal Credit Union’s Fraud department. Fraudsters use spoofing techniques that appear to be calling from Salal in an attempt to gain your trust, steal your card information, and bypass security protections to access your account online. To make their impersonation more believable, fraudsters will often use personal information obtained when external companies and organization experience data breaches and sensitive info is made vulnerable.
A Typical Impersonation Scam Scenario
A scammer will do everything they can to appear as if they are a real Salal employee who is attempting to assist you with your accounts. Posing as a representative of the “Salal Fraud department,” the scammer calls a Salal member using a spoofed phone number so the call appears to be coming from Salal Credit Union.
The caller will ask you to verify transactions on your debit or credit card and then claim there was fraud on your account. They might say you need to move the money to protect yourself. They ask you to provide personal information to access your account, such as card numbers, CVV codes, PINs, and online account credentials. In addition, they will ask you to provide a one-time passcode sent to your phone to verify your identity so they can either add your card to a mobile wallet or login to your online banking account. Please do not provide the code or any further information.
These calls are not from Salal Credit Union. As we mentioned above, we will never contact our members directly to verify information such as the last four of your card number, your PIN, or the CVV code on the back of your card. If you receive a call or text message regarding your Salal account that you believe may be fraudulent, do not engage with the caller. Instead, contact Salal Credit Union directly at 800.562.5515.
How to Protect Yourself from Credit Union Impersonation Scams:
- Never share private information via text. Legitimate attempts to validate credit or debit card activity requires a simple yes or no response via text.
- Do not click on a hyperlinked phone number sent via text or email.
- Do not provide one-time passcodes sent to your phone unless you initiated the phone call to the company.
- Do not download any apps on your phone or on your computer if instructed by the caller.
- Avoid providing personal information unless you initiated the call, even if the caller ID reads Salal Credit Union. Hang up and contact us using a phone number on the back of your card or from our Contact Us page.
For more information regarding scams, visit Consumer.FTC.gov/Scams.
