Be Alert for Holiday Scams

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Tis’ the season for giving and shopping, but it’s also the time to be alert for holiday scams.

What should you look out for? Be on the lookout for suspicious communications, such as:

• Tech support from an unknown source
• Free cash offers
• E-cards from an unknown person/email
• Seasonal job offers from unknown persons/organizations
• Free items or coupons from unknown persons/retailers
• Emailed, mobile, social media or web ads/deals that seem too good to be true (hint: they usually are)

How can you protect yourself? Here are scam prevention tips:

• Always use your chip card when shopping in store.
• Check your financial accounts regularly to confirm you recognize all listed transactions.
• Sign up for text/email/phone notifications through EECU or other verified sources to receive transaction alerts. Account alerts: click here. Debit Card alerts: click here.
• Turn off your card when you are not using it.
• If you receive a phone call or text claiming to be from EECU and asking for personal or financial information, call EECU directly to verify the request before providing any info.
• Be careful when downloading unfamiliar retailer/shopping apps, as fake apps are created to steal your information, especially during the holidays.
• Be on the lookout for fake charity scams, which ramp up during the holidays; verify the legitimacy of a charity before contributing to any donation requests from an unknown source.
• Purchase gift cards in store to avoid empty gift card scams.

And remember to immediately contact EECU to report suspicious card activity. Please have a safe and enjoyable holiday season!