Fraud

It’s only early November, but you have probably already seen Christmas trees sold in stores. This is a trend known as “seasonal creep” in which retailers start selling seasonal items in advance of the actual season. Did you know that cybercriminals also follow this trend?

A porting-out scam targets a person’s mobile phone number when it is being ported during a change in phone service. Scammers with your personal information can interfere during the service change and hijack the phone number.

As the name suggests, an influencer is someone whose opinions influence a large social media audience. While influencers usually attract sponsorships from legitimate brands, these accounts can also be used as a tool for cybercriminals.

A year into the pandemic, bad guys continue to target struggling organizations. A recent example is a phishing email targeting those in the United States.

These days almost everyone is on social media. Whether you’re sharing your #OOTD (outfit of the day) on Instagram, expressing a political opinion via Twitter, or posting a video of your kid being objectively cute on Facebook, it’s part of modern life. But could you be putting yourself at more risk than you know?

While the world continues to navigate life during a pandemic, countless families and individuals are struggling financially. In a truly malicious response to the situation, scammers are launching phishing attacks that claim to offer financial assistance to those in need. 

Granite State Credit Union has recently been made aware of fraudsters distributing false GSCU Teller Checks tied to a variety of scams. Please be aware that these fraudulent checks are in circulation. We ask members be wary of receiving unexpected, suspicious checks or requests for money. If you receive one of these checks or have further questions please call a Live GSCU Representative 24/7 at 800-645-4728.

UPDATE (8/14/2020): GSCU has recently been made aware of a scam regarding the Small Business Administration (SBA) COVID-19 Relief Loan. Phishing emails are being sent, that may appear as if they are coming directly from the SBA Website. Individuals seeking information about the Small Business Administration Loans should visit government websites directly for more information. 

Losing your debit card can result in stress and anxiety. You retrace your steps trying to remember when exactly the last time you had it was. You filled your gas tank yesterday. Swiped it at your local coffee shop this morning. And then… well, you can’t seem to remember. You have searched high and low, called the coffee shop to confirm you didn’t leave it there, but still no sign. Don’t panic, we’ve got you covered. 

It’s a new year, with new opportunities and potential new scams! We have all become accustomed to abbreviating the year when we are writing the date. Here a few reasons why you should not abbreviate the year 2020.