Fraudulent Email Alert!
CUNA Fraud Alert
CUNA is aware of new phishing e-mails that are circulating. The e-mail states that you have been successfully selected for a random contest to win a $200 prize. It then requests you claim your prize by validating your Credit Union membership and completing an online form by clicking on a link. These e-mails are not from CUNA. The Credit Union National Association is the trade association for credit unions in the US. CUNA does not maintain any type of customer/member financial information. Additionally, your financial institution would never request personal identification information over the phone via an e-mail solicitation. If you did respond to this e-mail, you should contact your financial institution directly using the local phone number provided by your financial institution.
Phishing Scam
We are aware that some of our members have received fraudulent e-mails stating to click on a link to address an issue with their account. Please do not respond to this e-mail. It is not from Penn State Federal. If you have responded to the e-mail, please call the credit union immediately at 814-865-3976 or 800-828-4636.
IRS Warns Taxpayers of New E-mail Scams
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today alerted taxpayers to the latest versions of an e-mail scam intended to fool people into believing they are under investigation by the agency’s Criminal Investigation division.
The e-mail purporting to be from IRS Criminal Investigation falsely states that the person is under a criminal probe for submitting a false tax return to the California Franchise Board. The e-mail seeks to entice people to click on a link or open an attachment to learn more information about the complaint against them. The IRS warned people that the e-mail link and attachment is a Trojan Horse that can take over the person’s computer hard drive and allow someone to have remote access to the computer.
The IRS urged people not to click the link in the e-mail or open the attachment.
Similar e-mail variations suggest a customer has filed a complaint against a company and the IRS can act as an arbitrator. The latest versions appear aimed at business taxpayers as well as individual taxpayers.
The IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails or ask for detailed personal and financial information. Additionally, the IRS never asks people for the PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank or other financial accounts.
“Everyone should beware of these scam artists,” said Kevin M. Brown, Acting IRS Commissioner. “Always exercise caution when you receive unsolicited e-mails or e-mails from senders you don’t know.”
Recipients of questionable e-mails claiming to come from the IRS should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the e-mails. Instead, they should forward the e-mails to phishing@irs.gov (the instructions may be found on IRS.gov by entering the term “phishing” in the search box).
Other fraudulent e-mail scams try to entice taxpayers to click their way to a fake IRS Web site and ask for bank account numbers. Another widespread e-mail tells taxpayers the IRS is holding a refund (often $63.80) for them and seeks financial account information. Still another email claims the IRS’s ‘anti-fraud commission’ is investigating their tax returns.
PIN Reversal Scam
Please be aware of a new scam that may lead to personal safety issues. PIN reversal is a theory based on the possibility that a debit or credit card holder could reverse his or her PIN at an ATM to draw attention to a dangerous situation like a kidnapping or a robbery. Don't be misled; if you are in distress, PIN reversal will not help you in an emergency situation.
Phishing Scam
False emails are being sent to our members and PSU employees appearing to be from Penn State Federal. Penn State Federal, Credit Card Companies, NCUA, CUNA or any other reputable company will never ask for account info via email. Do not click links within these emails, and NEVER give out your information. If you have received a PHISHING email and responded to it, please Contact Us.
Social Security Scam
The Social Security Administration issued a warning about a new e-mail scam being circulated with the subject, “Cost-of-Living for 2007 update.” The message appears to be from the Social Security Administration, and provides information about the 3.3% benefit increase for 2007. It contains the following, “NOTE: We now need you to update your personal information. If this is not completed by November 11, 2006, we will be forced to suspend your account indefinitely.” The reader is then directed to a Web site designed to look like Social Security’s Internet Web site. Once directed to the phony Web site, the individual is asked to register for a password and to confirm their identity by providing personal information such as the individual’s Social Security number, bank account information, and credit card information. Never provide your Social Security number or other personal information over the Internet or by telephone unless you are extremely confident of the source to whom you are providing the information.
To report this e-mail or other suspicious activity to Social Security’s Office of Inspector General, please call the OIG Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
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