This is a crime that is increasing throughout the internet and other credit unions have recently been targeted by these thieves. At the United States Senate FCU, we are concerned about your Privacy and will provide up-to-date information that can affect you and your account.

What is Phishing? How they operate? How to Identify them? How to protect yourself?

The United States Senate FCU – and credit union-related organizations such as, the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) – will never ask consumers for information in an unsolicited communication. Our emails are personalized, your name is always at the beginning of any communication “Phishy” email often appears to have come from a company with whom you’ve done business. Other times it appears to come from a government agency, such as a financial institution regulatory agency. The message warns of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention. It may use phrases such as “Immediate attention required,” or “Please contact us immediately about your account.” The email contains a link to the phony web site (sometimes it may link to a company’s actual web site, but a pop-up window appears solely to harvest your personal information). Users are often asked to update account information or to provide information for “verification purposes” – such as your Social Security number, account number, password, birthplace or mother’s maiden name. In some cases, con artists have even placed ads in newspapers directing consumers to phony sites. Regardless of how they get you there, their goal is the same – get as much information as they can.

To find out about the different “phishing scams” that have attacked other organizations; please visit http://www.antiphishing.org/phishing_archive.html to view samples of phishing scams.