Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of the government. They might use a real name, like the FTC, Social Security Administration, IRS, Medicare, or your Financial Institution. Some Pretend to be from a business you know, like a utility company, a tech company, or even a charity asking for donations.
They might say you’re in trouble with the government, that you owe money, or that someone in your family has had an emergency. Some scammers claim that there is a problem with one of your accounts and require that you verify sensitive information.
Others may claim you’ve won the lottery or sweepstakes while requiring a fee to receive any prizes.
Scammers want you to act before you have time to think. If you’re on the phone, they might tell you not to hang up – making it difficult for you to process what you’ve been told and verify anything.
They might threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver’s or business license, or deport you. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.
You are often instructed to pay through specific methods such as cryptocurrency, gift cards, money orders through MoneyGram or Western Union, or using a payment app. Some will send you a fake check, have you deposit it and send them the money.
NCU will never call a member and ask for account numbers, debit card numbers, credit card numbers, login credentials, passwords or One Time Passcode (OTP). If a member calls NCU, we will ask for specific information to verify your identity to include recent transactions, One Time Passcode (OTP), or personal identifying information. If you ever question the validity of a phone call you receive, hang up, and call the main number or the number on the back of you debit card. You can always visit a branch in person as well.
Members may receive a text message that appears to be from Navigant Credit Union asking them to verify a recent transaction. After the member replies that they did not make the transaction, they may receive a call from someone claiming to be the “NCU Fraud Department.”
In many cases, the caller ID may even display 233‑4700, as fraudsters can spoof legitimate phone numbers.
During the call, the fraudster will ask for online banking login information—often including your username—under the guise of “verification.” Once they have this, they initiate a password reset by selecting the “Forgot Password” option. This triggers a One‑Time Passcode (OTP) that is sent to the member. The fraudster then asks the member to read the code back to them.
Providing this code gives the fraudster access to the member’s online banking account, allowing them to reset passwords, transfer funds, and perform withdrawals or point‑of‑sale purchases.
There are several variations of this scam. Sometimes the fraud begins with a phone call instead of a text message. The fraudsters are highly convincing and often create a sense of urgency.
If anything feels suspicious, hang up immediately. Call Navigant Credit Union directly or visit a local branch. Never feel pressured to provide personal or account information.
Identity (ID) theft is a crime where a thief steals your personal information, such as your full name or social security number, to commit fraud. The identity thief can use your information to fraudulently apply for credit, file taxes, or get medical services. These acts can damage your credit status, and cost you time and money to restore your good name. You may not know that you are the victim of ID theft until you experience a financial consequence (mystery bills, credit collections, denied loans) down the road from actions that the thief has taken with your stolen identity.
Take steps to protect yourself from identity theft:
How to Report Identity Theft:
Como siempre, ¡piensa antes de hacer clic!
A skimming device is a card reader that is placed over the real card reader slot of the machine which typically looks identical to the real reader. When a card is slid or swiped through the skimming device, all of the card information from the magnetic strip is saved. There is also a hidden camera(s) pointed directly at the keypad of the machine to record a patron typing in his/her PIN.
Take steps to block unwanted calls and filter unwanted text messages by blocking numbers and reporting them as spam.
Honest organizations won't call, email, or text to ask for personal information such as your Social Security number, bank account details, or credit card numbers.
Reputable businesses will give you time to make important decisions. Anyone who pressures you to pay or to share information is a scammer.
Never pay someone who insists you can only pay with cryptocurrency, a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram, a payment app, or a gift card. And never deposit a check and send money back to someone.
Before you do anything else, tell someone - a friend, a family member, or a neighbor - what happened. Talking about it can help you realize it's a scam.
Scammers are always trying something new to get your data. By the time a method becomes common, they're on to the next - making it difficult to easily identify. When in doubt, call us at 401-233-4700.
If you believe you’ve been scammed, please call us right away at 401-233-4700. If you believe that you have witnessed a scam, please report it to us. The more we know, the better we can help our members!
This is a courtesy alert to let you know that the link you just clicked will connect you to a third-party website in a new browser window. We are obligated to tell you that this third-party website is not owned or operated by Navigant Credit Union, that Navigant Credit Union is not responsible for the content of this site and does not represent you or the third party if you enter into a transaction. Privacy and security policies may differ from those of Navigant Credit Union. If you continue, it will be easy to navigate back to the Navigant Credit Union website by closing the partner website window.
EARLY CLOSING: In celebration of our team, we will be closing early on Martes, Mayo 19th for an Employee Appreciation Day. All locations will be closing at 12:00pm. We appreciate your understanding!
