Austin Telco Federal Credit Union’s Vice President of Member Services, Pamela Cotton, educated Studio 512 about what to look out for when it comes to scams and scammers.

What are some common scams going around right now?

“There are several different scams that are popular right now. They include:

  • “ACT FAST” – This is a high-pressure scam to worry you into thinking you need to act quickly so that your information doesn’t become compromised, or that you need to meet a deadline, etc.
  • “TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE” – If it seems too good to be true (free money, new boat, pay off your house, etc.), then it probably is.
  • PHISHING – This is where a scammer pretends to be legitimate in order to gather your information. Never trust an unknown source.
  • SKIMMING – Skimming can often happen at places like gas stations, where you swipe your card and the reader is fake…and sending your money elsewhere.”

How can we protect ourselves from becoming victims of a scam?

  • “Be cautious when you’re asked for your personal information. Are you sure this is a reputable source? Contact your bank or financial institution directly…don’t assume that whomever is calling you is actually your bank.
  • Don’t ever give away your answers to your security questions. We’ll never ask.
  • Don’t click on links from an unknown person or source.
  • Don’t purchase from unfamiliar sites. Make sure the secure sign “https” appears in the URL.
  • Set up account alerts to be the first to know if something has happened to your accounts.”

What steps should you take if you find out you’ve been scammed?

  • Contact your financial institution first, immediately. We can start freezing accounts and cards in order to keep the scammer from getting anything else.
  • Cut off all other sources to the scammer, where you’ve been compromised, which may include websites that store your info, or other banks.
  • Gather information and documentation about the scheme. When you let us know, we can help keep others from falling prey to the same setup.
  • Protect your accounts and identity, and continue to monitor your accounts for months afterward.

To learn more about the services that Austin Telco Federal Credit Union provides, go to ATFCU.org.

This segment is paid for by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union and is intended as an advertisement. Opinions expressed by the guest(s) on this program are solely those of the guest(s) and are not endorsed by this television station.