When a Fraud Alert Isn’t Really a Fraud Alert

A text comes in saying there was suspicious activity on your account. A caller says they’re from your financial institution and needs to “verify” your identity. An email looks official and asks you to click a link before your account is locked.

That moment of urgency is exactly what scammers are counting on.

Many of today’s fraud attempts are designed to look routine at first. A fake fraud alert may ask you to reply “yes” or “no,” then lead to a phone call from someone pretending to help. A scammer may ask for a one-time verification code, saying it is needed to stop a transaction. In reality, that code could let them into your account, spelling disaster.

Other scams are becoming harder to spot.

Criminals are using artificial intelligence to imitate voices, create more believable messages, and impersonate family members, businesses, financial institutions, or government agencies.

Check theft and altered checks also remain a serious concern, especially when checks are mailed from unsecured locations.

Payment app scams continue to target people with requests that feel urgent, personal, or too good to ignore.

The safest response is to slow the situation down.

NEVER click links in unexpected texts or emails.

Do not share codes, passwords, PINs, or account details with anyone who contacts you first.

Be cautious if someone pressures you to move money, send funds through a payment app, or keep the conversation secret.

Parishioners FCU will never ask for your full password, PIN, verification code, or full account number by phone, text, or email.

If a message, call, or request feels suspicious, stop before taking action. Contact Parishioners FCU directly using a trusted phone number or by visiting the official website. When it comes to fraud, a pause can make all the difference.