Fraud Alerts & Prevention

Fraud Alerts

Unemployment Insurance Fraud

During times of economic downturn, such as COVID-19, there’s an uptick in unemployment scams. This is when a fraudster claims unemployment benefits using a stolen identity. Many victims of this type of identity theft may not even realize it until they try to file for unemployment benefits themselves or receive a notice from state unemployment. Be wary of telephone calls and text messages, letters, websites, or emails that require you to provide your personal information or other sensitive information, especially birth dates and Social Security numbers. Be cautious with attachments and embedded links within email, especially from an unknown email sender. For more information, click HERE.

Small Business Association Loan Fraud

With new loan options available for small business owners, many fraudsters are using this opportunity to take advantage of an already vulnerable small businesses. using the Small Business Association name, the fraudster will contact the owner with an offer for a small business loan. The SBA never makes first contact, all loan inquiries need to be initiated by the owner. If you are being asked to pay a fee upfront to receive a loan, this may also be a red flag of fraud. For more information, click HERE.

Mobile Payment Apps

Please be aware that payment apps such as Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, etc. post as a debit transaction on your account. This means we are unable to process disputes on these charges. Use caution when sending funds to someone you don’t know when using these apps.
To learn more about common scams or to file a complaint, please visit the Utah Department of Commerce website or IC3.gov.

Phishing

Member security is very important to us. As such, please be advised that members may receive phone calls from scammers posing as Cyprus Credit Union employees. If you receive such a call, please note that we will never contact you to ask for any personal information, including but not limited to:

• Account Number
• Personal PIN
• Date of Birth
• Credit Card Details

If you receive a call asking for this information, please be aware this is a possible fraud situation. To verify, please call our contact center directly at (801) 260-7600 before divulging any personal information. As an extra precaution, we suggest that members verify their Home Banking contact information is correct and all passwords are frequently changed.

If you supplied information via email, phone, social media, or other means to someone you suspect was scamming you, please contact us at (801) 260-7600 immediately.

ID Theft

Identity theft can occur when an individual obtains your personal information, such as a social security number, date of birth, address, and financial account numbers. Once the information is obtained, the thieves will assume or take on your identity. This will allow them to make purchases or obtain lines of credit.

There are some steps you can take to help keep your identity safe. Review the information to learn how to protect your personal and financial information.

Identity Theft Resources

• http://www.ftc.gov/IDTheft
• http://www.identitytheft.org/
• http://www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html

Credit Bureau Contact Details

• Free Annual Credit Report
  www.annualcreditreport.com
• Equifax
  (800) 525-6285 (Fraud Hotline)
  www.equifax.com 800-685-1111 (Order a Report)
• Experian
  (888) 397-3742 (Fraud Hotline)
  www.experian.com 888-397-3742 (Order a Report)
• TransUnion
  (800) 680-7289 (Fraud Hotline)
  www.transunion.com 800-916-8800 (Order a Report)

Credit bureaus must provide free copies of credit reports to victims of identity theft.