Security & Fraud

Security & Fraud Center

Protect Your Money. Protect Your Information. Protect Yourself.

Fraud doesn’t always look suspicious anymore. Scammers can impersonate financial institutions, businesses, government agencies, family members, and even people you know. They may know your name, phone number, address, or other personal information, and caller ID can be spoofed to make a call appear legitimate. (Consumer Advice)

At Kaskaskia Valley Community Credit Union, we believe education is one of the strongest tools for fighting fraud.

One rule is worth remembering above all others:

If something feels wrong, stop. Don’t click. Don’t send money. Don’t provide information. Contact your financial institution directly using a phone number you know and trust.

🔐 Protect Your Personal Information

Your personal and financial information should be treated like cash: don’t hand it to someone just because they ask for it.

Never provide sensitive information in response to an unexpected phone call, text, email, or social media message.

Be especially cautious about requests for:

Online or mobile banking passwords
Debit card PINs
One-time security or verification codes
Full debit or credit card numbers
Social Security numbers
Account or routing numbers
Security question answers
Login credentials

🚨 Never Share a Verification Code

A scammer may already have some of your information and only need the security code sent to your phone to gain access to an account.
Do not provide a one-time passcode or verification code to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

🔑 Passwords & Account Security

Make Your Passwords Strong

Use long, unique passwords or passphrases for important accounts. CISA recommends strong, unique passwords and encourages the use of password managers to securely generate and store them. (CISA)

DO:

Use a different password for every important account.
Use long passwords or passphrases.
Use a reputable password manager.
Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA) whenever available.
Protect the email account connected to your financial accounts.

DON’T:

Reuse your banking password on Facebook, Amazon, email, or other websites.
Keep passwords on sticky notes near your computer.
Store passwords in an unsecured document or spreadsheet.
Share passwords through email or text.
Give your password to someone who calls claiming to be “support.”

MFA adds another verification step beyond your password and can make account takeover significantly more difficult even when a password has been compromised. (CISA)

📱 Stay Cyber Safe

A little digital housekeeping goes a surprisingly long way.

Keep Your Devices Updated

Install updates for your phone, computer, tablet, browser, and apps. Updates frequently contain important security fixes.

Think Before You Click

Phishing messages are designed to get you to click malicious links, open attachments, enter login credentials, or reveal personal information. (CISA)

Before clicking:

STOP → LOOK → VERIFY

Instead of following an unexpected link, open the company’s official app or type the website address yourself.

Be Careful on Public Wi-Fi

Avoid accessing sensitive financial accounts on unsecured public Wi-Fi when possible.

Download Apps Carefully

Download banking and financial apps through trusted app stores and verify that you’re downloading the legitimate application.

🚩 Learn to Recognize the Red Flags

Fraudsters change their stories constantly, but their tactics are remarkably repetitive.

Be suspicious when someone:

Creates urgency
“Act immediately or your account will be closed.”

Creates fear
“Your Social Security number has been compromised.”

Tells you to keep it secret
“Don’t tell your financial institution why you’re withdrawing the money.”

Asks you to move money
“We need to transfer your money to a safe account.”

Demands unusual payment
Gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, cash, or payment apps are favorites of scammers. The FTC specifically warns that government impersonators may demand these difficult-to-recover forms of payment. (Consumer Advice)

Wants remote access to your computer
Someone unexpectedly asking you to install software so they can “fix” your computer is a major red flag. (PayPal)

💻 PayPal Scams

Fake PayPal Invoices & Money Requests

You may receive a real PayPal invoice or money request from someone you don’t recognize.

The invoice may contain an alarming message such as:

“Your account was charged $599. Call immediately if you did not authorize this purchase.”

Here’s the sneaky bit: the PayPal notification itself may be legitimate—the invoice and phone number inside it are fraudulent.

The scammer wants you to panic and call the number.

PayPal advises users who receive an unfamiliar invoice or money request not to pay it, not to call numbers contained in the invoice, and not to open suspicious links. Instead, log directly into PayPal’s website or app to review and report it. (PayPal)

What should you do?

Don’t call the number in the message.

Don’t click the link.

Don’t pay the invoice.

Open the PayPal app or go directly to PayPal yourself and review your account.

🎭 Impersonation Scams

Scammers may pretend to be:

Your credit union
PayPal
Amazon
Microsoft or Apple
Social Security
Medicare
The IRS
Law enforcement
A utility company
A family member
A business you recognize

They can even spoof caller ID, making your phone display a familiar business or government number. (Consumer Advice)

The safest response?

Hang up and independently verify.

Don’t call the number the person gives you.

Find the organization’s legitimate phone number yourself.

💳 Debit & Credit Card Fraud

Protect your cards just as carefully as cash.

Never share your PIN.
Don’t send photographs of your card.
Review transactions frequently.
Report lost or stolen cards immediately.
Be cautious when saving card information on unfamiliar websites.
Never provide card information to an unexpected caller.

If you notice a transaction you don’t recognize, contact us promptly.

💸 Payment App Scams

P2P payment services and apps can be incredibly convenient—but scammers love convenience too.

Be cautious when sending money through payment services to:

People you’ve never met
Online sellers
Someone claiming you’ve won something
Someone claiming to be from a government agency
Someone demanding immediate payment
Someone asking you to “test” your account
Someone instructing you to move your own money for security purposes

Once money is sent, recovering it may be difficult.

🎁 Gift Card Scams

Gift cards are for gifts—not payments.

Anyone instructing you to purchase gift cards and provide the numbers or PINs should immediately raise suspicion. The FTC specifically warns consumers that legitimate government agencies and businesses don’t demand payment through gift cards. (Consumer Advice)

₿ Cryptocurrency & Bitcoin ATM Scams

Be extremely cautious if someone tells you to:

Purchase cryptocurrency
Send cryptocurrency to a wallet
Deposit cash into a Bitcoin ATM
Scan a QR code to send money
Move money into cryptocurrency to “protect” it

Scammers impersonating law enforcement have even instructed victims to deposit money through Bitcoin ATMs to avoid supposed arrest or penalties. (Consumer Advice)

Cryptocurrency is never a secret “safe account” for protecting your money.

❤️ Romance & Relationship Scams

These scams can develop over weeks or months.

Someone you meet online may build trust before suddenly experiencing an emergency, investment opportunity, medical problem, travel issue, or financial crisis.

Watch for someone who:

Won’t meet in person
Always has an excuse for avoiding video calls
Quickly develops an intense relationship
Asks for money
Introduces cryptocurrency or an investment opportunity
Requests gift cards
Asks you to receive or transfer money for them

🛒 Marketplace & Online Shopping Scams

Buying or selling through Facebook Marketplace or another online platform?

Watch for:

Fake payment confirmations
Overpayments
Requests to refund “extra” money
Requests for verification codes
Buyers wanting to move communication off the platform
Sellers demanding unusual payment methods

Never assume an email saying “You’ve been paid” means money actually reached your account.

Check the account yourself.

👵 Grandparent & Family Emergency Scams

You may receive a call claiming:

“Grandma, I’m in trouble.”

Scammers may claim a family member:

Was arrested
Was in an accident
Needs bail money
Is stranded
Has a medical emergency

With modern voice-cloning technology, hearing a familiar-sounding voice is no longer enough proof of identity.

Hang up and contact your family member independently.

A family safe word is also a surprisingly useful defense.

🏆 Lottery, Sweepstakes & Prize Scams

“You’ve won!”

Then comes the catch:

“We just need you to pay the taxes or processing fee first.”

That’s the scam.

The FTC warns that fake prize schemes frequently request bank information or payment through cash, gift cards, wires, or cryptocurrency. (Consumer Advice)

You should never have to pay someone to receive a legitimate prize.

🏦 Someone Says They’re From The Valley?

Stop Before You Share.

Fraudsters can impersonate financial institutions through calls, emails, and text messages.

If someone contacts you claiming to be from Kaskaskia Valley Community Credit Union and you’re uncomfortable with the conversation:

Hang up.

Then contact us directly using the phone number on our official website, your debit card, or another trusted source.

We will never be offended because you chose to verify a call.

In fact, that’s exactly what we want you to do.

🚨 Think You’ve Been Scammed?

Act Quickly.

Contact The Valley immediately if you believe your account or financial information may have been compromised.

Also:

Stop communicating with the scammer.
Don’t send additional money.
Change compromised passwords.
Review your accounts for unauthorized activity.
Secure your email account.
Contact other affected financial institutions or card companies.
Preserve suspicious emails, texts, phone numbers, receipts, and screenshots.
Report appropriate scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The Valley’s Golden Rule

Stop. Verify. Then Act.

Scammers want you afraid, excited, confused, or rushed because those emotions make it harder to stop and think.

Take your time.

Don’t click the link.
Don’t provide the code.
Don’t move the money.

When in doubt, call The Valley.

We would much rather answer a question before money leaves your account than hear from you after it does.