As we move further into the digital age, fraudsters find ways to defraud honest, hardworking people of their money. We could tell you countless stories about our experiences over the years, but we will give you the basics of what to look for when it comes to fraud.
Fake Emails:
Email scams appear as legitimate messages from a reputable source, with victims revealing personal information, clicking on malicious links, or transferring money. Here are a few things to look at with a suspicious email:
Do you know the sender? Is this email from a person you know or a reputable company? Click on the name of the sender to see the true identity of the email’s origin.
How does the email read? Does it sound like the person you know or like a professional company wrote it? If not, it is probably fake.
Do they want you to click on a link? If something feels off, never click a link. Most scams will tell you that you have been compromised and have you click a link so they can access your information.
Does the email have an attachment claiming you owe the company money?
Text Scams:
Much like email scams, fake text messages want the receiver to click a link, giving access to your phone to the scammer.
Red Crown will never text you asking you to click a link. Never click a link in a text message from a sender you don’t know.
Legitimate text messages from Red Crown will provide an OTP (One-Time Passcode) or ask you to type Y or N if you make a specific transaction. If you ever have any questions about a text, please contact us.
We will never call you and ask for the code you received by text.
Fake Calls:
There are times when fraudsters will contact you, impersonating Red Crown. The Caller ID could show as our number. Their goal is to collect private information from you and steal your identity.
If someone calls you claiming to be a Red Crown representative and you feel uncomfortable, hang up and call 918.477.3200.
If a Red Crown representative calls you, we will never ask for personal information, such as your online banking password, whole debit card number, full Social Security Number, or any other personal information.
A Red Crown Representative will never ask you to withdraw large sums of money or transfer your money into sources such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, or gold.
Sweetheart/Quick Payoff Scams:
Fraudsters will use the above tactics to connect with you and try to steal your money. Often, they prey on the elderly or young adults who have never encountered a fraud attempt. Here are a few things fraudsters will attempt.
Fraudsters will create a relationship with you online and ask you to send them money. You may wonder why anyone would fall for this, but people do. Here are a few things to ask yourself before you send anyone money. How long have you known this person? Have you ever met them in person? Why do they need money so badly?
Fraudsters will connect with you about a great business deal and promise you significant sums of money, but you have to either invest in the business or send them money for a suspicious reason. Again, have you ever met the people you are dealing with? Have you seen legal documents for their investment or plan? Are they asking you to send money back to them because they sent too much money to you in a check? Are they asking you to send them gift cards or crypto instead of a more common payment form? If you have encountered any of these situations, you have probably been a victim of a fraud attempt.
Fraudsters could send you a check to deposit, tell you to keep a portion of the funds and send the remaining back or purchase gift cards to be mailed to the fraudsters. Checks take time to clear and could be rejected after you send the money to the fraudsters.
Finally, it is ultimately your responsibility to protect your personal information. It is essential to pay attention to where you use your debit and credit cards, set up alerts for your accounts if you can, and trust the employees of the institutions that hold your money, not only your bank or credit union but also your financial advisor or accountant. We are here to help you and give you the best guidance possible.
If you have any questions or concerns about your accounts, please visit any of our locations or contact us at 918.477.3200
