Fraud Can Happen to Anyone.

This one starts small. A scammer pieces together your personal information through a fake text, a convincing email, or a phone call pretending to be your credit union. Once they're in, they change your contact information and lock you out. Never share your login credentials, one-time passcodes, or security question answers with anyone, even someone who claims to be from MECU. Use strong passwords and change them periodically. Consider a password manager such as Bitwarden, Nordpass or Proton Pass.

Someone contacts you pretending to be MECU staff, a government agency, law enforcement, or tech support. They create urgency: your account has been compromised, you owe back taxes, your computer has a virus. Their goal is to get your card number, PIN, or account login. Neither MECU or a government agency will ask you for that information nor demand payment via a gift card. We will never ask for those. Hang up and call us directly.

When someone uses your personal information to open accounts, make purchases, or commit fraud in your name. Regularly monitoring your credit report and placing a credit freeze are two of the most effective ways to protect yourself. You can access your free credit reports at www.annualcreditreport.com and review them regularly for suspicious activity.

These messages look like real alerts from your financial institution, complete with logos and official-sounding language, with a link to a fake website designed to steal your information. Skip the link and go straight to mtedcu.org, or call us.

A caller or pop-up message claims there's a problem with your device and requests remote access or payment to fix it. Legitimate tech companies don't reach out this way. Hang up or close the window.

Fraudsters take time to build trust, sometimes over weeks or months, and then ask for money, gifts, or financial help. If an online relationship moves quickly toward financial requests, that's a serious warning sign. More information can be found here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-romance-scams.

Scammers can now clone the voice of someone you know, often a family member, and call you pretending they're in trouble and need money immediately. Hang up and call that person back on a number you already have for them.

Zelle®, Venmo, and Cash App are convenient, but they're a favorite tool for scammers. Once money is sent through these apps, it is typically gone for good. Never send money to someone you haven't met in person or can't independently verify.

A record of your credit history that lenders may review when evaluating applications for loans or credit.

A free tool that restricts access to your credit report, making it harder for criminals to open new accounts in your name. AnnualCreditReport.com

A notice on your credit file that encourages lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit.

An extra layer of account security that requires a second form of verification, like a code sent to your phone or email.

An incident where sensitive personal or financial information is exposed or accessed without authorization.

Information that can be used to identify you, such as your Social Security number, date of birth, driver's license number, or account details.

Regularly reviewing your account activity, transactions, and statements to catch unusual activity as early as possible.

A person you authorize MECU to contact if there are concerns about your well-being or potential financial exploitation.