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 13th 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:
Tips for businesses:
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.
This is not a valid request for information from CUSC or CU Service Centers. As a reminder, you should never send sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, secret words, or PINs in an email, or submit it through a website unless you initiate the contact on a secure site. In addition, you should never click directly on links in an email that request sensitive information, even if you recognize and trust the address. These links can redirect you to a fake -- though very real looking -- Web site.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:
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.