IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL DEBIT/ATM CARDHOLDERS!

Recently we have had a number of members call in and say they received a call or text message on their cell phone stating that “their ATM or debit card has been blocked and they cannot do any transactions on it unless they press 1 to reactivate your card or to call back a toll free number”. If you press 1 or call back the toll free number, you are asked to input your sixteen digit card number and your PIN. DO NOT DO THIS. This is a scam to get your card numbers.

If you did receive this call and gave your card number by pressing 1 or calling back the toll free number, contact us immediately so we can protect your account. During regular business hours, please call CGFCU at 518-828-5216. After hours please call 1-800-682-6075 to block your card.

Here is what is happening: When you get a call you may see that the call is coming from 1-843-884-6884, or you may see 347, 999-304 or some other unidentified number. The fraudster is spoofing that number which means he makes it look like the number that is calling you is a company. Actually they are calling from a different unknown number.

How did they get your cell number? They are doing something called “war dialing”. The fraudster starts with a local area code and a local exchange and randomly generates the last four digits to create a phone number to call or text. Then they take the batch of phone numbers they have compiled and send out mass calls. This is called a major vishing scheme and is affecting other financial institutions both locally and nationwide. For example: people who do not even have a debit card are receiving these calls or you may receive a call identifying a financial institution you don’t even do business with.

Note: Any call that asks you to input your PIN or card number is not a legitimate call. Columbia-Greene Federal Credit Union will never ask you to input your card number and PIN via phone, text message or in an e mail.

Your Credit Union is constantly working to protect you and your accounts from these types of scams.

The following survey email is hitting member email boxes. If you should receive this email message, DO NOT REPLY, it is fraudulent.

To:
From: "Columbia-Greene Federal Credit Union" <survey@cgfcu.org>
Date: 02/08/2010 09:52AM
Subject: Get now $150 reward survey !

Congratulations!