Fraud Prevention
Fraud changes fast, but your defenses can change faster. Here, you’ll find practical tools, clear signs and quick tips to protect what matters most. Stay confident, informed and in control.
Four Tips to STOP Fraud
Fraudsters are sneaky, but you’re smart and practical. Just remember STOP, an easy acronym to help you remember four quick tips to outsmart these jerks.
- Strong passwords. Longer, weirder equates to safer.
- Turn on our alerts. Real-time texts and emails keep you protected.
- Open your accounts often. Spot surprises before they snowball.
- Pause before clicking. If it feels shady, it is.
Want more ways to protect what’s yours? Join the ranks of other members who visit this page regularly to stay one step ahead.
Outsmarting Scammers
Fraud prevention doesn’t have to be complicated. A few quick memory tricks can help you recognize the signs, trust your gut and protect your money and identity. Yes, most of the information is repetitive, which is attentional for all the right reasons.
Meet FRAUD: The Five Red Flags to Watch
Scammers leave clues. When you remember FRAUD, you’ll know what to look for.
- F- Fast talk. Pressure to act now? Don’t. Just say, “Let me think about it,” and hang up.
- R – Random requests. A legitimate business or organization will never text you for sensitive information, like your passwords, PINs and bank account information.
- A – Amazing deals. If it sounds too good, it is.
- U – Unusual links. Don’t click on them, ever.
- D – Demands for money. Gift cards, wire transfers and even crypto payments. Always a no.
Meet SAFE: Lock Down Your Accounts
Your accounts are safest when you keep them SAFE.
- S – Strong passwords. Long, unique and a little odd are best.
- A – Alerts on. Real-time texts and emails tip you off fast.
- F – Freeze when needed. Suspect fraud? Freeze or lock your card immediately.
- E – eStatements. Safer than paper statements, stored securely within your online banking account and mobile app.
Meet PAUSE: Your Best Defense
The biggest gift you can give yourself? A pause. PAUSE before you act.
- P – Pay attention. Typos, tone, timing. Tiny things matter.
- A – Ask questions. A real business representative won’t mind. A scammer will.
- U – Use your gut. If it feels sketchy, well, it is. Trust your gut.
- S – Stop oversharing. Less personal information online reduces fraudulent attempts.
- E – Examine the source. Who is really behind that call, text or email? If you don’t know, ignore.
Take Charge Before Identity Thieves Do
Identity theft can be overwhelming, but you have more control than scammers want you to believe. They will try to piece together your information to open accounts, pile on debt or even pose as you online. When you stay alert, you take away their power.
- Start with the basics. Check your accounts often, set up alerts and pay attention to anything that looks out of place.
- Be choosy about what personal details you share and where you share them.
- Create small habits. Shredding sensitive papers or updating your phone’s security settings every 30 to 60 days add up to big protection.
Just remember, if something seems suspicious, trust your instincts and act fast. A quick response can stop identity theft in its tracks and keep your good name exactly where it belongs: With you!
Spotting Elder Financial Abuse
Elder financial abuse is one of the fastest-growing forms of fraud, and it often hides in plain sight. Scammers pressure, confuse or befriend older adults to access money or accounts. Sometimes, sadly, the abuse even comes from people you know.
You can help stop financial abuse by watching your loved one for the following:
- Sudden changes in banking habits.
- Unusual withdrawals.
- New “friends” who seem overly involved.
- Confusion about financial decisions.
Checking in often and having open, judgment-free conversations about money can be the strongest shield of protection. Together, we can protect the people who once protected us.
The Ugly Truth About Romance Scams
Romance scams prey on trust and emotion. Fraudsters build online relationships that feel real, then slowly start asking for money, gift cards or “help” with fake emergencies. What begins as a heartfelt connection quickly turns into heartbreak and financial loss.
Protect yourself by remembering the following:
- Real love doesn’t come with repeated requests for cash.
- Be cautious if someone you’ve never met in person pressures you to send money, keep the relationship secret or move conversations off secure platforms.
- Take your time, talk it over with a trusted friend and never let urgency cloud your judgment.
The right relationship won’t ask you to empty your savings.
Stop Scammers in Their Tracks
You’re contacted out of the blue by phone, text or email from someone claiming to be a PACU employee. You’re asked to give your Social Security Number, account password, account number or other personal information.
DON’T GIVE IT! Ask for the caller’s name and phone number to call back, then call us immediately, 800.433.7228.
Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and founded in 1949 within the aviation industry, Piedmont Advantage Credit Union (PACU) serves member-owners, who reside, work, worship, attend school or operate a business in one of the six counties it serves in North Carolina or who are employed by one of its many employer companies. These six counties are Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Mecklenburg and Rockingham.