From TexAgs Sponsor, Aggieland Credit Union:

As the spread of the novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19 continues, scammers haven taken notice and consumers are set to face new attempts by hackers and bad actors to steal information.

We care about you and want to remind you to stay alert for any scams that might be out there, including fraudulent calls, emails, and text messages.

What are the most common types of fraud happening:

  • Impersonation schemes when fraudsters contact you pretending to be your credit union or another organization. They'll ask for your account information, passwords and other sensitive information to log in to your accounts.
  • Fake charities fraudsters will slightly alter the name of a legitimate charity to look real. Members should be wary of any unsolicited requests for donations.
  • Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment app fraud this type of fraud is expected to increase as it becomes the fraudsters' choice method for stealing funds from members by scamming them into transferring money through open payment apps like Zelle and Venmo.
  • Investment Scams Be wary of promotions that falsely claim the products or services of publicly traded companies can prevent, detect, or cure coronavirus.
  • Product Scams - Be aware of companies "selling unapproved or misbranded products that make false health claims pertaining to COVID-19."

How to Prevent Fraud:
  • Pay attention to calls from organizations and financial institutions asking you to login to your account when you've been inactive.
  • Be aware of fake emails from institutions asking you to take action, clicking a link, or downloading a document. Even if you recognize the name of the institution, fraudsters will slightly alter the name and branding.
  • Be aware of unsolicited SMS/texts, especially when you haven't requested one.
  • Be careful of using open systems for online payment transfers, like Zelle and Venmo, to pay anyone you do not know personally.
  • Use reputable multi-layered security software that includes protection against phishing.

Like most companies and businesses, Aggieland Credit Union will never contact you by phone, email or text to ask you to update your account information or to provide your account number, Personal Identification Number (PIN), Debit or Credit Card Number, password or Social Security Number.