Horizons North Credit Union

With new cases of fraud reported every day, it is important to protect yourself. Horizons North Credit Union wants to help ensure your accounts and identity remain safe.

Please click on the links below to guard yourself against other fraud threats.

Horizons North Credit Union is working to keep your accounts and your identity safe.

Identity Theft Resources

Click here to learn about ways to protect your identity.

Scam Alert

Internet/E-Mail Fraud Alert

Recently, there have been multiple fraudulent e-mails and telephone calls directed to the general public and credit union members that appear to be from NCUA. False e-mails ask recipients to click on a link to confirm, verify or approve financial account information. If the recipient proceeds, the link directs them to a false website to verify or re-submit confidential information such as account and credit card numbers, Social Security number, password, and personal identification number, or to complete a member satisfaction survey and receive $80.

A variant, “vishing” uses telephone systems. A vishing scam occurs when a consumer receives a recorded message telling them a credit card and/or financial institution account has been breached and to immediately call a number provided in the message. The phone number leads the consumer to a fraudulent call center where people are asked to supply or verify pertinent financial account, social security or credit card information.

NCUA does not ask credit unions members for personal information. Anyone who receives an supposed e-mail or phone call from NCUA that asks for account information should consider it a fraudulent attempt to obtain their personal account data for an illegal purpose and should not follow the instructions in the e-mail or phone call.

If you inadvertently respond and provide confidential account information, please notify your credit union immediately. You should change affected accounts and PINs, and take any additional action recommended by your credit union to protect your account.

If you feel that you have received a fraudulent NCUA phishing e-mail, please forward the entire e-mail message to Phishing@ncua.gov

Additionally, you can file formal complaints concerning any suspected fraudulent e-mail with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. The IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National White Collar Crime Center, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

For more information please use the link below to the official NCUA website.
http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/FraudAlert/Phishing.aspx

SMS Text Alerts

We have received many phone calls from individuals stating they received an automated phone call asking them to verify their account information. Horizons North Credit Union will NEVER ask you to update or verify your personal or account information through an unsolicited phone call, text message or e-mail. The only time you may be contacted is if there is suspicious activity on your debit card. Even if you receive a call about suspicions activity on your account you will not be asked to confirm your account information.

Additionally, Horizons North Credit Union does not send out SMS Text Alerts. We have been contacted by members and non-members stating they have received a text alert from us. The body of the text states something similar to the below message:

SMS.Alert@hncu.org / Horizons North CU (Alert). Please call 1-877-235-2107 for further assistance. Thank you. /

or

Horizons North Credit Union Alert: Your CARD has been DEACTIVATED. Please contact us at 303-578-5793 to REACTIVATE your card.

Once people call this phone number, or a variation of this phone number, they are asked for private and confidential information about their debit/credit card. Horizons North Credit Union is not sending these text messages and has no need to request this information at any time. Please do not respond or call this phone number as this is an attempt to obtain sensitive information about your debit/credit card. Please call us at 1-877-451-4628 if you have any questions or have received and responded to a text message or automated call. Horizons North Credit Union will never ask you to update or verify your personal or account information through an unsolicited e-mail, phone call or text message.

Please be advised that you NEVER need to enter your PIN number when using your HNCU debit card at a store to make purchases.

Census Alert

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country.

Click here to learn more about the Census Alert Scam

809 Area Code Scam

Be cautious when responding to e-mails or phone calls from the 809, 284 or 876 area codes.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION PROVIDED TO UNITED STATES RESIDENTS BY AT&T.

Fraudsters / pranksters are getting people to call someone at these area codes by telling you that it is information about a family member who has been ill or to tell you someone has been arrested, died, or to let you know you have won a wonderful prize, etc.

Click here to learn more about the 809 Area Code Scam