Holiday Closing | We will be closed on Monday, October 9th, in observance of Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day.

There’s nothing more important to us than the safety and security of your accounts.

When you trust us with your savings and investments, that means something – and we’re 100% committed to living up to that trust. Here are tips you can use to contribute to your accounts’ safety, and to banking safely in general. It’s best to be aware of frauds that can allow identity thieves to take advantage of your hard-earned money. Together, we can keep your investments where they belong  – safe, secure, and right here at 5Point.
 

2023 Fraud Friday

August/September - Texting scams are on the rise! If you receive a text you were not expecting, be careful not to click any links, download any apps, or give out any type of personal information such as your email, username, card number, or password.

July - Check washing is making a comeback— This is a type of fraud where scammers steal signed checks usually from mailboxes and use chemicals or electronic methods to erase the original payee and amount, then rewrite them to their own benefit.
Fraud Friday Tips:
1. Pay your bills online.
2. Deliver your mail to a post office.
3. Use a pen with blue or black non-erasable gel ink.
4. Do not let delivered mail sit in your mailbox.
5. Monitor your bank account.
6. Report incidents quickly.

June - With the rise in work-from-home jobs, it is important to always trust your instincts, pay attention to detail, and never send money unless you know it's 100% legitimate.

May - Cybercriminals are using artificial intelligence to mimic a potential victim’s loved ones in an attempt to extort money. 
1. Ask a challenge question or even two – something only your loved one would be able to answer.
2. If possible, have someone call or text the person directly that the scammer is claiming needs help.
3. Letting unknown numbers go to voicemail may help, but if the attackers are able to leave a voicemail with your loved one’s voice, it could sound real.
4. Set your social media profiles to private – many attackers look for voice samples from public social media profiles to generate the convincing AI voice clone.
5. Don’t share your phone number on social media if possible.

April - QR code scams are on the rise! Quick Response Codes are found in more locations than ever; mail ads, real estate sales ads, emails, parking meters, restaurants, etc. The scam occurs when a fake QR code that looks legitimate brings you to a fake site that also looks legitimate.
•see if the QR code will peel off (sticker) revealing another QR code underneath – the overlay QR code is likely to be fraudulent
•be suspicious if, after scanning a QR code, the site asks for a password or login info. An example is restaurant menus - if it asks for a name and password after scanning the code (to get a discount), ask the waiter/waitress why it is doing that to confirm it is legit before you enter your info
•do not scan a randomly found QR code
•consider using antivirus software that offers QR readers with added security that can check the safety of a code before you open the link

March - Phone number spoofing is when a Caller ID displays a phone number or name to make it look like the call you are receiving is from a different person or business. Be skeptical of text messages or callers that address you with generic greetings instead of using your real name. If you get a call from someone representing a company and you are suspicious, hang up! Call back the phone number on the company's website to verify the caller.  Pay attention to the caller's tone of voice and don't answer any questions, especially regarding your personal information. This includes your social security number, mother's maiden name, passwords, and debit/credit card numbers. Alway hang up if you are suspicious of a caller!

February - Often scams are presented as urgent situations requiring immediate action. If you receive threats or hostility for asking questions, that’s a sign they are a scammer.

January - 5Point will NEVER call and ask for your online banking login information. Do not provide account numbers, card numbers, or login information over the phone. If you’re suspicious during a call, hang up and call us at 1.800.825.8829. 

Safe-Banking Tips

  1. Create a strong password. Make sure it’s unique to our site, and use a mix of characters and symbols to make it harder to crack. Read more about how we keep your online 5Point account safe here.
  2. Always check the source. 5Point will never send you a text or email asking for your login information. If you receive a communication claiming to be from 5Point that asks for this kind of privileged information, please report it immediately. For more email fraud prevention tips, click here.
  3. Read the fine print. When you receive mail about your 5Point loans, make sure it was actually sent by 5Point. Click here to view an example of mail fraud attempting to look like it was sent from the 5Point Mortgage Department.
  4. When you check your account online, make sure you’re using a secure location. Use a computer that’s exclusive to you, or use a computer or network you know and trust. Always log out when you’re finished.
  5. Check your credit report annually.
  6. Monitor your postal mail, and shred documents containing personal information before discarding.
  7. Beware of telephone scammers. These thieves often target the elderly, posing as telemarketers or employees of an organization and asking for a “good faith” payment for a real product or company. In this way, they receive credit card numbers and sometimes passwords. Click here to read about scammers pretending to call from the Social Security Administration in order to get your Social Security number. 
  8. When traveling, be aware of “skimming.” Local thieves are known to rig ATMs with tiny hidden devices that record and transmit card data. You can avoid this by checking an ATM for a Bluetooth signal (often a network named Free2Move). If you detect one, move on to another ATM.
  9. Never let anyone you don’t know use your account for any purpose. A type of thief known as a “card cracker” offers to pay you for the use of your bank account. He or she asks you to deposit checks, often through remote deposit or ATM. These checks are unfunded, but once the other party has withdrawn the money from your account, you are liable for these counterfeit checks when they are returned.

Fraud Information Resources

Click here for a list of commonly used fraud tactics.

The National Credit Union Administration offers tools to help the elderly manage money and protect themselves against fraud. Find out more about financial scams that are specifically targeting older Americans and how to avoid being victimized using the MyCreditUnion.gov website. The agency’s Consumer Assistance Center is available to answer questions or handle complaints.
 

 

How to Report Fraud on your 5Point Debit or Credit Card:

If your 5Point debit or credit card has been lost, stolen, or you suspect fraudulent activity, cancel your card immediately by calling 1.800.825.8829. You can also report to the following:

1.800.825.8829 Visa Debit

How to Report Identity Fraud:

If you know, or even think, you’ve been a victim of identity fraud, take immediate action and follow these five steps. More specifics can be found on the FTC’s Identity Theft Website.
 
  1. Report the fraudulent activity. If the activity is related to our financial institution please contact us directly. If it is related to another financial institution, your credit card company, or any other organization contact them directly. Contact one of the three consumer reporting companies and have a fraud alert placed on your credit report. This will help stop fraudsters from opening any additional accounts in your name.
  2. Contact only one of the following (the others are required to contact the other two):
  3. Close any accounts that you know - or even think – might have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Report the transgression to a security spokesperson at the relevant company. Ask them about any additional steps – they’ll probably ask you to send relevant copies of the fraudulent activity. The FTC Identity Theft Report has replaced the FTC Identity Theft Affidavit. When you report identity theft to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov, you will get an FTC Identity Theft Report. The Report serves as your statement, created under penalty of perjury, about the identity theft. You can use the Report the same way you would have used the Affidavit.
  4. File your complaint with the FTC. Use the online complaint form; or call the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
  5. Sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC will help law enforcement officials track down identity thieves and stop them. Call or visit the local police or police in the community where the identity theft took place and file a report. Have a copy of your FTC ID Theft complaint form available to give them. Obtain a copy of the police report and the police report number.

How to Report a Cyber Crime:

If you've been the victim of a cyber crime, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at IC3.gov. Click here to learn more about cyber crimes and the IC3. 
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