Doing business online is becoming more prevalant every day, but we must be diligent to protect ourselves from fraud and identity theft. Please review the following articles about how to protect yourself online. Click here to review TTCU's Privacy Policy regarding how we use personal information we collect. 

  Phishing  "Phishing," is the practice of sending an e-mail that appears to be from a reputable company that you recognize and do business with, such as your financial institution. The e-mail will typically warn you of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention. The e-mail will then encourage you to click on a link to go to the institution's "website" in order to update your account information or to provide information for verification purposes: your Social Security Number, account number, PIN or password, credit card information, or verification information such as your mother's maiden name or place or birth. The goal of phishers is to persuade you to share this sensitive information that can be used to commit fraud or identity theft against you.  If you feel the e-mail may be legitimate, please contact the company or financial institution directly through a listed telephone number, but never through the link provided in the e-mail you received. TTCU will never ask you to verify sensitive or private information in an email. Please be aware that you have already given legitimate companies (like TTCU) the information they need to do business with you. If you have any questions regarding the legitimacy of an email, contact the institution you received it from by phone. Click here to review a comprehensive brochure from the NCUA about how to fight identity theft.

Multi-factor Authentication   All financial institutions are required by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) to establish a higher level of security called Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) by the end of 2006. TTCU has already made these improvements and you can enroll to take advantage of them today. When you login to our Virtual Branch you will be re-directed to a page explaining our new security solution. From that page, you will have the opportunity to enroll in MFA and enjoy a higher level of online security for your TTCU accounts. Please feel free to contact Member Services at (918) 749-8828 if you have any questions or click here for more information.

FALCON Credit Card Protection   TTCU is enhancing your credit card to include extra protection against fraud. A credit card representative may call you to verify a purchase if it is outside your normal spending. TTCU must have correct contact numbers on file to provide this protection. If the information on your statement is incorrect, please update it by calling 800-234-8828 Ext. 2215.

  Vishing   A new scam dubbed "vishing," mimics phishing by trying to trap you into divulging your account numbers over the telephone. With vishing, instead of being phished in an e-mail message, you may receive a telephone call from an automated random dialer, and the voice on the other end of the line may tell you your credit card has been used illegally. You are then asked to dial a fake 1-800 number with another voice that asks you to confirm your account details and credit card number. If you give the information, you can count on your accounts being drained. Read the following tips on how to avoid being vished:

• If you get a phone call and someone asks you to give or confirm credit card or personal information, hang up. Then call your credit union or the financial institution that issued the card by using the phone number on the back of the card or on your statement and report the attempt.
• If you get a call from someone who claims to be from a financial institution you do business with, and who knows your credit card account number but wants the three-digit code on the back of the card, immediately hang up.
• If you get an e-mail message asking you to call a toll-free number to verify account information, delete the e-mail. Never provide personal information or account information based on an e-mail request.
• Don't be fooled by the fact that the caller's phone number appears to be a regional telephone number--it could have been spoofed.
• Be suspicious of any phone or e-mail contact that doesn't use your full name.
• Never dial a call return number--or reply to an e-mail--regarding any financial matter.

The NCUA said vishing is attractive to criminals because Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is fairly inexpensive, especially for long distance, making it cheap to make fake calls. Also, because it's Web-based, criminals can use software programs to create phony automated customer call center service lines. It also exploits the public's trust in landline telephone services.

What To Do If You Suspect Identity Theft;    First, contact your financial institution(s) immediately and alert them to the situation. To report suspected fraud to TTCU, click here to email us. Next, contact the three major credit bureaus and discuss whether you need to place a fraud alert on your file, which will help prevent thieves from opening an new account in your name. Here's the contact information for each bureau's fraud division: 

3 Major Credit Bureaus

Equifax:  800-525-6285, P.O. Box 740250, Atlanta, GA  30374

Experian:  888-397-3742, P.O. Box 1017, Allen, TX  75013

TransUnion:  800-680-7289, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA  92634

 Click here to report all suspicious contacts to the Federal Trade Commission online or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.

  Reversing Your PIN at an ATM Will NOT Summon the Police  You may have received an email telling you that if you are ever in a dangerous situation (i.e. kidnapping or robbery) at an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) that if you enter your P.I.N. # in reverse, that it will summon police. This is false information. Financial institutions within the United States have not deployed this technique despite several well-circulated email chain letters that have misstated this fact.

You Can Now Email TTCU Securely!  Would you write your debit card number and PIN on a postcard and mail it? That’s what sending email containing sensitive information is like. Do you realize that someone other than the intended recipient can easily read your email? That's why TTCU is now offering a secure way to contact us electronically, Secured Email. When you sign up for Secured Email, you can include sensitive information such as social security numbers and passwords when corresponding with us. Click here for an article about Why You Should Use Secure Email and how to get started. Click here to go to our Contact Us page and sign up to communicate with TTCU securely via email.