Press

NCUA warns about telephone fraud

ALEXANDRIA, VA (January 21, 2014) — The National Credit Union Administration today warned consumers to beware of a new telephone fraud, known as a “vishing” scheme, that is using the agency’s name in an attempt to obtain personal financial information.

Several credit union members have been contacted by an automated phone call claiming to be from NCUA and notifying consumers their debit cards have been compromised. The call then asks the receiver to follow prompts, which request personal information, including sensitive financial data and personal identification information.

Anyone contacted by this so-called “vishing” scheme should immediately contact NCUA’s Consumer Assistance Center Hotline at 800-755-1030 or by email at phishing@ncua.gov to report the scam. Operators answer calls Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern.

NCUA neither seeks personal information from consumers over the telephone nor handles day-to-day maintenance of member account information. NCUA works with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to protect consumers from frauds of this nature.

NCUA urges consumers to never verify or release personal financial information to unknown callers.

NCUA is the independent federal agency created by the U.S. Congress to regulate, charter and supervise federal credit unions. With the backing of the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, NCUA operates and manages the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, insuring the deposits of nearly 96 million account holders in all federal credit unions and the overwhelming majority of state-chartered credit unions.

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