updated july 2023
Tell those scammers to scram.
Was it STCU or a scam? When it comes to financial fraud and identity theft, it pays to be skeptical.
First and foremost, if you get an unsolicited call or text claiming to be from STCU, it's OK to be suspicious. If the caller asks for personal information about your account, then hang up immediately!
If STCU is contacting you, we won’t ask for information such as your full card numbers or your full Social Security number. We won't ask for your online banking password, your one-time login codes, or your personal identification number (PIN), because those pieces of information are only for you to know and not to share.
Contact us right away to let us know what happened, and we’ll tell you if the call was legitimate.
We have three more areas we suggest covering to determine if what you’re being told is true or not.
1. Does the offer make sense?
Scammers will often try to scare or rush you into sending money their way. For example, if you’re suddenly being told you won the lottery, stop to ask yourself questions like, “Did I buy a ticket? Was I expecting this?”
Or are you being suddenly contacted by someone claiming to be from the IRS asking for back taxes? A good question or two to ask would be, “Where is the documentation proving I owe this money?” or, “What information is this possible agent using to identify themselves that I can use to verify their identify with my local IRS office?”
2. Is it too good to be true?
To put it in words we’ve all heard before, is this deal, opportunity, or request too good to be true? In some cases, the scammer will try to entice you into paying. If it is too good to be true (an online-only sweetheart) or a get rich quick scheme (being sent a large amount of money and only being required to send “some” back) are all cases where if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
3. Would my credit union, local law enforcement, or other trusted experts encourage me to pursue this deal?
Is someone you’ve only interacted with online asking you for money and promising to pay it back? Is someone online asking you to pay them with gift cards or a wire transfer or a money order? Chances are, if you’re being solicited to make a payment in this form, it could be a scam.
These types of payments are particularly nefarious as they cannot be disputed once you’ve sent the funds and the liability rests on you. Before acting, ask yourself, “Would STCU advise me to send a gift card for money I owe? Would STCU advise me to send a wire transfer without first checking with an expert?”
If you’re ever questioning an email, text, call, or message (or if an offer seems too good to be true) about your finances or accounts with STCU, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask us if it’s legit. We’re here to help keep your financial life safe from the bad guys.
