Latest Information

April 15, 2009

Sound has learned of a telephone phishing scheme where an individual claiming to be a representative of Sound Credit Union is offering to lower the member's Visa interest rate if they can provide their card number. Sound Credit Union or any of our vendors will never call you to verify your account information. This form of phishing is considered a low-tech attack because it uses phone lines as opposed to a PC to gain personal information that can then be used to steal a person's identity. Remember when contacting Sound, always use phone numbers that appear on your monthly account statement or that appear at our website soundcu.com.

January 20, 2009

On January 20, 2009, Heartland Payments Systems announced that its processing system was breached resulting in the compromise of cardholder names, card number, and expiration dates on an undisclosed number of accounts. This breach DID NOT include cardholders Social Security numbers, unencrypted personal identification numbers, addresses or telephone numbers or merchant data. Heartland established a website at www.2008breach.com to specifically address the breach.

Heartland Payments Systems is NOT a vendor of Sound Credit Union or associated with Sound Credit Union in any way. Heartland provides debit and credit card processing services for approximately 250,000 businesses nationwide including restaurants, retailers, and other merchants. This breach is exclusive to Heartland Payment Systems and is in no way the result of a security breach at Sound Credit Union.

As a Sound Credit Union member, we want to assure you that your accounts are being monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for suspicious activity. In the event of any suspicious transactions on your account, you will be contacted immediately. Sound Credit Union is serious about our obligation to protect the security and privacy of our members. You can take steps to protect your funds by closely monitoring your Visa credit/debit card activity and monthly statements to ensure your activity matches your records.

Please call 253.383.2016 or 800.562.8130 should you have any questions.

July 24, 2008

Thousands Stolen In Debit Card Skimming Operation

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department said a highly-organized group stole Debit card information in August of 2007 and recently withdrew thousands of dollars from local resident's bank accounts over the July 4, 2008 weekend. The information was originally obtained by using electronic skimming machines placed on gas pumps at an ARCO gas Station at 11608 Meridian in the South Hill area of Puyallup in Pierce County. Detective Ed Troyer with the sheriff's department said the Debit card numbers and personal identification numbers (PIN) were stolen at the gas station and were used during the July 4 weekend at ATMs throughout the Pierce and King Counties. Some victims lost several hundred dollars, others lost thousands. Troyer said the total would be in the tens of thousands.

Detectives said they have identified over 125 victims and expect many more reports to come in. If you believe that you may have used that ARCO station during the specified time frame, please call Sound Credit Union's Contact Center at 253.383.2016 and ask for a new Debit card to be issued.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects involved. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 253.591.5959.

February 1, 2007

FACT: Washington State ranks 13^th in the nation in identity theft.

Washington State's Attorney General Rob McKenna has made it a key initiative to educate people on how to protect themselves against identity theft. Businesses, too, face threats that can easily be addressed. Many small businesses don't think about how easily accessible their files might be when kept in an unlocked file cabinet. They also fail to shred sensitive files before placing them in a recycling bin.

Tips for consumers:

• Carry a minimum amount of identification in your purse or wallet every day.
• Don't carry a lot of credit cards and never carry your social security number. That way if you lose your purse or wallet, you reduce the tools an ID thief has to commit a crime.
• Install a locking mailbox or use a secure mailbox at the post office for outgoing mail to avoid mail theft.
• Shred personal information before discarding it to thwart dumpster-divers.

Tips for businesses:

• Limit physical access to important data to only those employees with a business or functional "need to know" to prevent data theft by employees.
• Use "strong passwords" - including numbers, symbols, and letters - to protect data from hackers.
• Get a shredder or contract with a commercial data destruction company.

Visit Attorney General Rob McKenna's website for information on how to protect yourself and your business against identity theft.

April 20, 2007

Sound has learned of an email circulating to the general public requesting personal member information by visiting a specific website and taking part in a survey for $50. The survey contains the CU Swirl Logo and the CUSC Network; providing much of the "look and feel" of the organizations.

February 2, 2007

Low-tech identity theft

Some members have reported that they have been contacted by a representative from Sound Credit Union's Security company trying to verify the member's checking account number. Sound Credit Union or any of our vendors will never call you to verify your account information. This form of phishing is considered a low-tech attack because it uses phone lines as apposed to a PC to gain personal information that can then be used to steal a person's identity. Remember to always use phone numbers that appear on your monthly account statement or that appear at our website soundcu.com to contact a member service representative.

January 22, 2007

TJX Companies, the owner of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, recently reported a breach in credit card security. Apparently a fraudster obtained information that may have included debit/credit card, check and merchandise return information. TJX has reported that the information was gathered from businesses in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

To learn more, visit www.tjmaxx.com.

January 8, 2007

No matter the come-on, the bait in wire transfer scams is the same: You receive one or more checks, typically for less than $5,000 each, with instructions to deposit the money in your account and quickly forward all or part of the amount to another party, usually by wire or Western Union checks. Fraudsters depend on a quick turnaround to get your money before banks discover their checks are bogus.
Undoubtedly the best way to protect yourself is never to respond to phone calls, letters, e-mails or Internet offerings for work-at-home opportunities, sweepstakes or other offers involving check and wire transfers.

Other ways to protect yourself:

• Don't assume any checks you've deposited are in your account until the bank decrees that "funds have been collected." Being told "funds are available" or the check has "cleared" is not good enough.
• Trash any check claiming to be winnings from a lottery or sweepstakes in which you're asked to pay "processing" or "handling" fees.
• Don't deposit a check that exceeds the price of an item you sell online. If, say, you receive a $3,000 check for a $500 item and are asked to wire back the difference, assume the $3,000 check is bogus and you'll lose money.
• Don't respond to phone numbers listed in a letter explaining the reason for receiving an unsolicited check. Fraudsters often avoid capture by using cell phones or toll-free numbers for only 30 days and then discarding them.
• Don't trust purported cashier's or government checks. Because they require the shortest "hold" time, their forgeries are especially common.
• If you receive a questionable check in the mail, contact your local U.S. Postal Inspection Service by visiting www.usps.com/ncsc/locators/find-is.html.

December 11, 2006
There is an e-mail that is being sent out with the CU Service Centers Shared Branching Swirl logo on it and referring to a $25 reward survey if you click on the link and provide personal information such as card, pin, and account numbers. DO NOT OPEN THIS E-MAIL!!! It is not from our shared branching services and can possibly contain a virus.

Sound Credit Union and our financial partners will never send you an email requesting personal information such as name, user ids, pin numbers, or account numbers. This information should never be given out within an email or form over the internet unless you can verify the website that you are visiting is legitimate.

For more information on the latest identity theft scams and related articles, please click on the following link:
http://identitytheft911.org/home.htm

Phishing Scams

E-mail fraud can be a major problem for unsuspecting internet users. These emails, claiming to be sent by one of your financial services providers, or even a government agency, ask members to reply with personal information, such as their credit card number, Social Security number or online user ID and password.

A typical email will probably warn you of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention. The email may also encourage you to click on a button to be forwarded to the institution's web site. In a phishing scam you could be redirected to a phony Web site that can look very similar to an authentic financial institution's Web site, where the thieves will try to obtain personal information from you.

Sound Credit Union will never initiate a request for sensitive information via email (such as Social Security numbers, telephone banking PIN, password or account numbers). If you receive an email that requests this type of sensitive information, you should be suspicious of it and contact Sound Credit Union or the institution that you received it from to verify its authenticity. If you did not initiate the communication, you should not provide any information.

Identity theft protection

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information (name, Social Security number, account numbers, etc.) to commit fraud or theft. There are new scams that circulate daily and many people fall victim to them.

Identity theft is a common crime that can potentially complicate your life, but taking a few simple steps can help to either prevent it all together or at least ensure a smoother recovery.

• Check your statements every month for suspicious or unfamiliar activity.
• Check your credit report at least once a year to verify that the report is accurate. Or, order a copy of your credit report from one of the different credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). Get a free copy at www.annualcreditreport.com
• Give your Social Security number only when it is absolutely necessary. Sometimes your driver's license or other form of identification will substitute just as well. Also, never give your Social Security number over the phone unless you can verify who is calling you or unless you initiated the transaction.
• Make a photocopy of the front and back of all the contents in your wallet. If your wallet ever gets stolen, you will have these records and the phone numbers to report the lost or stolen credit cards as a quick reference.
• Avoid giving your credit card information over the phone or on the Web unless you initiate the transaction.
• Memorize your personal identification numbers (PIN). Never write them down.

Need More Information

Liberty Checks and Services has an entire Identity Theft information site set up for Sound Members to learn even more about the different kinds of Identity Theft and how to prevent Identity Theft from happening to you.

for more information Click Here.

Identity theft if you're a victim

If you suspect you have become a victim of identity theft, here are a few steps that can help to recover and restore your good credit.

• Contact Sound Credit Union immediately at (253) 383-2016 to flag or change your account numbers.
• Contact the three major credit bureaus (listed below) to put a fraud alert on your file. Ask them to notify you if any new accounts are opened.
• File a report with the local police and keep a copy as proof of the crime.
• File a complaint with the FTC toll free at (877) IDTHEFT. The FTC enters your case into a database that law enforcement agencies use for investigation.

Identity theft resources

Listed below are a few valuable victim assistance resources that can help aid you in your identity fraud resolution.

Credit Bureau Contact Information:

Equifax www.equifax.com
To report fraud, call: (800) 525-6285 or write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374

Experian www.experian.com
To report fraud, call: (888) 397-3742 or write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion www.transunion.com
To report fraud, call: (800) 680-7289 or write: Fraud Victim Assistance Department, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA, 92834

Additional Resources

Federal Trade Commission
(877) 438-4338
www.consumer.gov/idtheft

Social Security Administration
For Social Security number theft and misuse
www.ssa.gov

Mail Theft
www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect

Phone Fraud
www.fcc.gov

When you click on any of the above links you will leave Sound Credit Union's Web site. Sound Credit Union is not responsible for information contained on other sites.