Montana Credit Union warning of scam
Montana Credit Union is warning the community of an active fraudulent phishing/smishing scam circulating that has already impacted a few MCU members.
Fraudsters impersonating the Montana Credit Union fraud department are reaching out to people via phone call and text message stating that they have noticed fraudulent charges on their debit card and offering to shut their card down for them. They then ask for personal and financial information to “help” shut the card down, and once they have that, they have all they need to conduct fraudulent transactions without the physical card present.
“These scammers can seem trustworthy and are very persistent. Out of safety and concern for our members, we’d just like to remind people to never give out your personal and financial information to someone over the phone. If someone reaches out to ask you to verify your personal information or sensitive info like a debit card number, please do not give them this information and hang up right away. You are welcome to call us at (406) 727-2210 to check the validity of any phone call or text you receive that states to be from Montana Credit Union” Becky Timmons, vice president of marketing for MCU, said in a release.
Timmons said that members have said the calls and texts come from a variety of phone numbers and short codes, and the fraudsters only seem to have a phone number on hand. All information that they are able to obtain has been given to them by fraud victims over the phone.
“Above all, we encourage you to be safe and smart with the information you give out, whether it be on the phone, in person, or online,” Timmons said in a release. “Don’t share debit or credit card numbers, online log ins and passwords, birthdates, and other personal and sensitive information with others. But if you do suspect fraud, please call us or your own financial institution to put a stop to it immediately – we are here to help and keep your finances safe.”
