FRAUD FAQs

Fraud Alerts
APLFCU wants to keep your account and personal information secure. Here are a few questions and answers to help protect you from being scammed. If you have further questions, please e-mail us at support@aplfcu.org.

Why have these scams become so prevalent?
Has my account been compromised if I receive a fraudulent e-mail or phone call?
Will APLFCU call or e-mail me asking for my account information?
What if a scammer calls APLFCU and tries to access my account?
What preventive measures I can take to alert me that I might be on a fake site?
What should I do if I think I have been scammed?
Where can I get more information on preventative measures?

 

 

Why have these scams become so prevalent?
Identity theft and credit/ATM card fraud is a very lucrative and anonymous crime, which is why there are so many different types of scams being perpetrated. Because a single scam e-mail can net on average 50 credit card numbers, the scammers are willing to do a little work and research in order to gain those card numbers. Many purchase the ability to send millions of e-mail messages through compromised servers and PCs from other criminals. Others will harvest email addresses themselves and attempt a more targeted campaign to help with the "authenticity" factor. The main thing to remember in dealing with these scams is that APL Federal Credit Union will never call or email its members asking for personal non-public information. back to top

 

Has my account information been compromised if I receive a fraudulent e-mail or phone call?
NO. The security of member information at APL Federal Credit Union has not been breached or compromised. Scam artists have dozens of ways to obtain personal information such as phone numbers and e-mail addresses. For example, with phone scams, the criminals perpetrating the scam can research the area through public records such as the phone book and find the area codes and exchanges for Howard County and the surrounding area. They can then program these numbers into an auto-dialing messaging system to have it automatically dial the range of phone numbers. They hope to catch an APL Federal Credit Union member off guard and trick them into calling the 800 number and providing their personal, non-public information. back to top

Will APLFCU call or e-mail me asking for my account information?
NO. APLFCU will never Call or E-mail you to request any following information:
•Account number (provide this information ONLY on our secured form)
•Address
• Online banking password
•Pin numbers for ATM or Audio Response
•Credit/Debit Card Numbers

APLFCU's Card services group may contact you to verify suspicious Visa Credit or Visa Debit card activity. The automated calling system or in some instances live representative will state your name and advise you that you are being called on behalf of APLFCU. You will be prompted for only the last four digits of your Social Security number. No other information is required. If you are not available to receive the call, you will be left the following numbers where card services can be contacted (800-437-9392 or 800-890-5097). During normal business hours you may contact the credit union directly at 240-228-5250. back to top

 

What if a scammer calls APLFCU and tries to access my account?
We will ask certain security questions that only you will know. You can also create a Member Verification Password with APLFCU. This password will not be tied to online banking or audio response passwords, but rather will be an access word so that an APLFCU representative can positively verify your identity when speaking to you over the phone. Print out this form, sign it and get us a copy via fax, mail or in person. back to top

What preventive measures I can take to alert me that I might be on a fake site?
Phishing Filters can alert users that a particular site may be fraudulent.Both Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox 2 have phishing filters to alert users about suspect sites. However, many members do not have IE 7 or Firefox 2, or do not have the phishing filter turned on. We highly recommend that IE and Firefox users update to IE 7 or Firefox 2 and turn on the phishing filter. back to top

To activate the phishing filter in IE 7:	To activate the phishing filter in Firefox 2:
1. Pull down the Tools menu	1. Pull down the Tools menu and select Options
2. Select “Phishing Filter”	2. Click on the Security tab/button
3. Select “Turn On Automatic Web site Checking”	3. Ensure a check is in the box next to “Tell me if the site I’m visiting is a suspected forgery”

Where can I get more information on preventative measures?
Digital Defense and The Federal Trade Commission are two great resources that APLFCU recommends. back to top