Southland News
Scam Alert: Phone and Text Fraud
Scam Alert: Phone Calls and Text Messages claiming to be from Southland Credit Union may be fraudulent
Phone scams are on the rise – scammers are impersonating financial institutions like Southland Credit Union by making fraudulent phone calls and text messages to trick consumers into believing they are receiving legitimate calls and messages. Scammers also have the ability to spoof Southland Credit Union’s main phone number on your caller ID. If you receive a suspicious text message or phone call from someone claiming to be from Southland Credit Union, do not respond. Always call us directly to verify.
Remember:
- Southland Credit Union does not currently send out text messages asking you to verify transactions.
- We will never call you to ask for your Digital Banking username or password.
- We will never call you to ask for your Digital Banking verification code.
- Enable multi-factor authentication in Digital Banking.
- Create complex passwords. Use a series of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Do not reuse or share your password.
- Monitor your accounts. Check your balances and transaction history regularly.
What to do about scam text messages and phone calls
- Don’t respond. If you’re not certain of the source of the call, email or text, then do not respond. Hang up the phone, do not click on links in the email or text message, and do not reply to the text message.
- Don’t trust caller ID or answer calls from unknown numbers. If you recognize the caller ID, but the call seems suspicious or unexpected, do not answer. Scammers can spoof phone numbers to appear legitimate.
- Don’t give out your information. Never provide any personally identifiable information unless you’re absolutely certain the person you are speaking to is legitimate. Remember, Southland Credit Union will never ask you for a Digital Banking password.
- Research and validate. If you receive a suspicious call, text message or email, make sure it’s legitimate. Whether you’re contacted from someone claiming to be from Southland or another organization you do business with, always validate by calling the organization through an official number. Here are the ways you can securely contact Southland.