How to spot imposter scams

Impersonation isn’t flattering — it’s often fraud. Scammers know you won’t click on a link from a stranger, especially when it comes to your finances. So scammers pretend to be someone you would expect to hear from about your money: your financial institution.

Imposter scams are on the rise. To protect your financial accounts, it’s important to know who you’re really talking to. With a little caution, common sense, and our latest tips, you can protect yourself — and your money.

Imposter scams rely on fear

Even the savviest consumer will panic a bit if they get a message saying there’s a problem with their account, credit card, or Social Security refund. Scammers rely on this. So they draft messages and dress them up in trustworthy clothing, such as pretending to be Numerica. When that communication knocks on your door, it can be confusing because it looks and sounds legitimate. Your gut says, “what if something’s really wrong with my account?” And in that split second before your head answers, “wait, this doesn’t feel right,” you might take the bait.

Stay calm, keep safe

The next time you get a concerning email, text, or phone call, stay calm. If it claims to be from Numerica, follow these steps:

1. Remember: Numerica will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your password.

• We do send you alerts you sign up for.
• We’ll never ask for your password, 3-digit security pin, one-time passcode, or card number.

2. Investigate: Look at the sender’s true email address. You can do this by hovering over the sender’s information without clicking on anything. When you do, you’ll often find an obviously-not-Numerica email. If you are reached by phone, it’s possible a fraudster is using caller ID spoofing. Don’t automatically assume that a familiar phone number isn’t a scammer. If you are unsure you are really speaking with Numerica, hang up. Then, dial 800.433.1837 or — if it’s concerning your credit or debit card — the phone number on the back of your card. We will be happy to confirm with you whether the person who reached out to you is truly representing Numerica.

3. Ignore: Do nothing. Don’t click, don’t respond, and don’t provide any type of personal information. Ghost the sender like they were the worst date ever.

4. Report: Take action. Call Numerica via our known number, 800.433.1837. Or visit a branch. If someone’s pretending to be Numerica, we want to know about it. You can also report the imposter scam to FTC.gov. They share it with more than 2,800 law enforcers.

3 common imposter scams

Stealing your money or information is always a fraudster’s goal. Scammers use text fraud, email phishing, and call spoofing to run imposter scams. Here are 3 examples of scams we commonly come across at Numerica:

1. Impersonating Numerica

Fraudsters attempt to impersonate Numerica’s logo, branding, and communication style. They try to mirror our web URL and email addresses to look reputable. They might send a link for you to log in to verify something in your account. Or they will ask you to verify if you performed a certain transaction. (This is something Numerica might do, so it’s important to know the signs it’s a spoofing scam.)

2. Impersonating Zelle

Zelle is a peer-to-peer payment solution. It’s used to send and receive money from accounts with many banks and credit unions, including Numerica. Fraudsters send a text alert that looks like it has come from the institution. The alert asks the person to verify if they sent a large sum of money to someone. When you answer no, you get a request for a phone call or fake video banking Facetime session. There, the scammer gains access to your account by pretending to help you. Then, they steal your information.

3. Impersonating the Social Security office

Fraudsters may reach out to tell you there’s a problem with your Social Security check. When you respond, they offer to help sort out the issue. All you have to do is give them information that can help them access your account. From there, your money and other sensitive information is no longer safe.

Charity scams, IRS scams, and grandparent scams are other types of imposter fraud. In those cases, victims are often tricked into giving money directly to the scammer. In all types of fraud, it’s important to know who you’re really talking to — and paying.

6 tips to keep your account safe

Common sense is your biggest defense when it comes to avoiding fraud. For example, you get a text from UPS with a link to a shipment that’s on the way. But you aren’t expecting a shipment. Common sense says something’s fishy.

Put these 6 tips into practice, daily:

1. Don’t click on unknown links
2. Don’t open unknown attachments
3. Don’t respond or engage with scammers
4. Protect your financial information
5. Know who you’re paying — verify!
6. Keep an eye on your credit report

Numerica: your partner in the fight against fraud

Numerica is here to help you live well. We’re constantly monitoring member accounts to help keep your finances safe. Visit Numerica’s library of fraud and security resources for more articles to keep you safe. We’re also here to talk through anything that sounds suspicious. Drop in to your favorite branch anytime you have a question, or call us at 800.433.1837.