Scams in which someone calls pretending to be a representative of your financial institution are on the rise. Bad actors are resorting to any means to gain your trust and get you to share sensitive information. Once they have that info, they can wreak havoc by committing fraud in your name.
If someone calls you from TwinStar unsolicited and something seems off – like that person is asking for very personal information and being pushy about it – it’s very likely they are a scammer. Hang up immediately. Call us at 800.258.3115 to verify if the call you received was legit.
To help protect you, we put together a list of five things thata TwinStar representative will never directly call you and ask for unsolicited.
1. Your Social Security Number
There’s no piece of personal information that should be kept more confidential than your social security number (SSN). SSNs are often used to steal identities, so we want to do our part to make sure that yours is not vulnerable to being compromised. While we may ask for your SSN in some cases, we will never ask for it if we initiated the interaction with you.
2. Your Credit or Debit Card Numbers
Once in the hands of scammers, this information can easily be used to make fraudulent purchases and have financial impacts on your accounts. We also will not ask you for the 3-digit security codes on the back of cards either. Credit/debit card information is typically among the easiest information to steal. For that reason, TwinStar will never ask you for those numbers.
On a related note, you should always use extreme caution when entering your card info on websites. Always check to make sure you are using a legit website and that the lock icon is displayed in your browser navigation bar when you are entering sensitive data.
3. Your PIN number
We will never ask for the personal identification number (PIN) associated with your debit and/or credit cards. Your PIN is kept private and cannot be accessed by TwinStar employees. However, we may ask for your code word to verify your identity over the phone. Bottom line: if someone claiming to be from TwinStar asks you for your PIN, that’s a red flag
4. To Share Account Information Via Text or Direct Message
If you receive a text message from TwinStar regarding account issues or asking you to share sensitive account information, don’t respond. While we send text messages for some services, you should only receive those if you have opted to receive them. We don’t send unsolicited text messages.
If you are unsure about a text you received from us, please call our Contact Center at 800.258.3115 to verify its legitimacy. Do not call the number provided on the text message as it could be fraudulent.
And while we enjoy engaging with our members on social media, we will NEVER ask for sensitive information to be shared with us via our social media channels. If you encounter someone on your social channels claiming to be a TwinStar representative, we ask you to contact us immediately via our Contact Center at 800.258.3115 to verify their legitimacy.
5. You to Send or Wire Money for Verification Purposes
Lastly, we will never ask for money to be sent or wired to a third party for verification purposes. TwinStar Credit Union and its employees will never initiate a wire transfer of funds. Wire transfers are a service we provide. However, our employees will never initiate this process, especially to verify your identity.
What to Do if You Get a Scam Call about Fraudulent Charges
Be vigilant in protecting your sensitive information. Knowing that phone scams happen (often) and how they work is a great step. Trust your instinct if something feels off during a phone call. Again, telltale signs will be if someone is asking for confidential information and being demanding.
We also recommend that you only give out sensitive information if you initiate a call to a number that you can trust.
And if you ever aren’t sure about the legitimacy of a call, hang up, and call us at: 800.258.3115.
The Bottom Line: Stay Alert
Be vigilant in protecting your sensitive information. Knowing that phone scams happen (often) and how they work is a great step. Trust your instinct if something feels off during a phone call. Again, telltale signs will be if someone is asking for confidential information and being demanding.
We also recommend that you only give out sensitive information if you initiate a call to a number that you can trust.
And if you ever aren’t sure about the legitimacy of a call, hang up, and call us at 800.258.3115.