Security Center

To report a lost or stolen Debit MasterCard card during regular business hours call the Credit Union directly and leave a message on (413) 782-3161 ext. 106.

To report a lost or stolen Debit MasterCard after business hours call 1-833-337-60.75.

To report a lost or stolen GRSCU Credit Card call 1-888-297-3416.

You may receive a phone call or text message from the Fraud Detection Center, please be advised this is NOT a scam. Our debit card processor (Fiserv) will reach out if there is any suspicious activity on your card. Please know that it is safe to discuss your transactions with them as they are working with us to offer your account protection. The number to call back in the event of a missed call is 1-844-682-4502.

Recent Phishing Scam: Members have received automated calls from phone numbers (919) 363-3777, (404) 891-1102 or (866) 234-7606 attempting to obtain debit card information, stating that they were calling from a fraud department. This is a phishing scam. Phishing is an electronic way of attempting to acquire sensitive information by pretending to be a trustworthy source. If you receive such a call, please contact the Credit Union directly and verify the information. This Credit Union will never ask our members to provide confidential account information that we already have.

If you receive an email from Visa@support.com this is also a scam please delete and disregard.

While phishing-the use of fraudulent e-mails to get consumers to part with personal financial information- continues to be the number one means of identity theft, a number of sophisticated scams warrant staying alert during transactions that you make in stores and restaurants. Here are the five latest scams to be aware of both on line and off:

• Watch the requests for personal information.

  The reason why phishing scams continue to grow, seemingly unabated, is because they work. NEVER provide personal information such as your Social Security Number, bank account information or credit card information unless you are very confident that the source you are providing information to is legitimate.

• Watch your passwords.

  It’s a good idea to change the passwords and PIN’s for your online accounts on a regular basis. (Don’t forget to keep your new passwords and keep them in a safe place just in case.)

• Watch where you Point & Click.

  Rather than access a Website from an e-mail link, type the Web address into your browser. This helps keep you from being linked to fraudulent sites.

• Watch your Debit and Credit cards.

  In one of the newest ATM scams, the scammer inserts a metal loop into the machine, which prevents the legitimate customer’s card from being read. The scammer poses as a customer and stands behind the victim, as he or she enters their PIN. On the third attempt to enter their PIN, the machine retains the victim’s card because of multiple attempts to enter the PIN. The victim leaves, thinking that their card has been safely retained. However, the scammer extracts the card with the metal loop and, because they have the victim’s PIN, can start using the card with impunity. It’s the oldest trick in the book. Scammers rely on the fact that most shoppers don’t look at their card when they get it back after a transaction. The victim may not notice for a long enough time for the scammer to go on quite a shopping spree. Always make sure that your card is the one that leaves the restaurant or store in your wallet.

Keeping your Personal Information Safe and avoiding scams:

Always shred documents with personal information. Never give out your Social Security Number and other personal information unless you know whom you are dealing with.

Keep an eye your credit report, billing, and account statements on a regular basis. Look for anything unusual. Question it!

If you have been victimized, let your account holders know to place an alert on your account. Report it to the police! Close any accounts and/or cards that may have been compromised.

An interesting point about fraud is that it is a crime in which you decide on whether to participate. Hanging up the phone or not responding to shady mailings or emails makes it difficult for the scammer to commit fraud. But con artists are very persuasive, using all types of excuses, explanations, and offers to lead you – and your money – away from common sense.

The IRS email Scam – The IRS has warned of several new e-mails and telephone scams targeting consumers. Some of the new tactics being used includes being warned that the consumer is being audited, are eligible for a refund, or have not cashed a check the IRS has issued to them.

The Western Union Scam – Emails are spreading with a new tactic in mind. They are offering and option to establish a payment to your account through Western Union at $10,000 increments reaching as much as $100,000. This is not real. This is just another way for you to offer your account information for the perpetrators to “deposit” money into your account. They are supplying your email as a way of verification and they are also looking for your address. Do not give out any of this information. This is a SCAM!

The Email and Text Scam – Fraudulent e-mails and text messages are sent to people informing them that their accounts have been suspended until they contact the financial institution. If an individual responds to the email/text, they are directed to a fake on line banking site or toll free number where they are to submit their account, credit card, and/or PIN causing the member to fall victim to yet another scam. There is also a text message informing the recipient that their accounts are suspended pending investigation of fraud, leaving a number to call. This number goes nowhere but makes record of phone number calling. We do not contact members in these ways. This is a scam.

The Paycheck Scam – A new twist on an old scam, several reports have been made regarding bad “pay checks.” Individuals doing job searches are falling victim to this new scam. Potential employers are sending employees a paycheck to place in their accounts and the employee must return a specific portion back to the employer with the remaining to be their “pay.” When the check is returned to the financial institution as fraud the individual is now out a large amount of money. If you are unsure of any item you are depositing to your account, QUESTION IT! Ask any one of our employees, they will be happy to do a little research to help you avoid any embarrassment or monetary loss to your account. We at GRSCU are here for you.

The Special winner scam – Do you know the old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is?” Well this scam is exactly that! Recipients are receiving letters that emphatically explain they are the winners of a “special” lottery or grant. These letters or e-mails are asking for the recipient to respond via e-mail or phone with their name, phone (mobile), age, address, and country. This is again a way for them to gather your information. The second half of this scam is they send you a security check for you to deposit and ask you to send a specific portion back to hold your grant, remaining balance to be recipient’s portion. Check is usually a very large dollar amount with very small portion to be sent back. When financial institution receives check back as fraud the recipient is now responsible for the entire amount. Do not deposit any checks into your account unless you know the maker well. If you question the item in any way, ASK US!

The “Gameover” email scam – The FBI recently sent out a warning of a new spam email scam that involves a type of malware called “Gameover”. In this scheme, the person receives a fake email from a Federal Agency (NACHA, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC or NCUA) attempting to trick the recipient into opening a link to resolve some type of problem with their account or deal with a recent transaction. Once the link is opened, “Gameover” takes control of the person’s computer and thieves have access to user names, passwords and eventually money in the account. With the increased use of mobile devices to transact business, it is important to remember that smart-phones are simply a smaller computer that allows another outlet for information to be compromised. There are some important steps one can take to avoid falling victim to INTERNET fraud and reduce the risk of loss:

• Maintain the newest version of anti-virus software on your computer and mobile device.
• Do NOT open any embedded links from emails if you doubt the authenticity of the sender.
• Greater Springfield Credit Union will never request any personal information via email.
• Access your account often to verify the balance and check for any unauthorized transactions.

The Foreclosure Rescue Scam – Beware of anyone who says they can “save” your home if you sign or transfer over the deed to your house. Do not sign over the deed to your property to any organization or individual unless you are working directly with your mortgage company to forgive your debt. Never make your mortgage payments to anyone other than your mortgage company without their approval.

One of our members received a letter in the mail stating that they represented his current mortgage lender “The Greater Springfield Credit Union” and that they will be lowering his mortgage rate down to 2.00%. There was however no name of the company sending the letter, just a phone# to call. The member called the phone # listed on the letter and was told to fax or mail in a copy of his current mortgage statement and they will confirm that the lender will lower his rate. The member faxed over his mortgage statement and within a few minutes received a phone call from a representative state that his lender had in fact agreed to lower his rate. (We however never received a phone call requesting this modification). The member was told to send a check for $3,000.00 along with proof of income and they would start the modification process. The member was also informed “when” the modification was officially approved a final payment would be due at that time; he was not told the amount of the final payment but was told that if the modification was denied the $3,000.00 fee was non-refundable. The member called the Credit Union prior to sending in any money and we informed him that this was a scam. We attempted to call the company and we were told the name of the company was “Legal Loan Review” and they were all lawyers, however it took most of the day to actually speak to someone who knew what their company was about and when we confronted the person on the phone stating who we were we were hung up on.

There should never be a fee for information or assistance in modifying a mortgage.

Beware of any person or organization that asks you to pay a fee in exchange for a modification or counseling service. DO NOT PAY-WALK AWAY!

Never make your mortgage payments to anyone other than your mortgage holder.

For Free Assistance with a delinquent mortgage please call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673)

New Scam is a official looking letter stating that you are owed a refund of thousands of dollars on your mortgage. They give a number to call and promise to get you a refund. The name of the company is ACT (Across Cashflow Technology). This is a scam. Do not reply to the requests.

The Better Business, Wal-mart, Target, And Best Buy, and others are company names being used to promote bogus gift cards. Be cautious if you receive an email advising that one of these vendors is promoting a give-away of Visa gift cards (usually for $1000). This email is a scam and fraudsters are trying to get your personal information. The best advice to give if this scenario is to occur is to avoid taking this offer and just delete the email.