Closeup of person typing on laptop with fraud protection logo in the background

We're Here to Protect You

FRAUD & SECURITY

Be Vigilant.
Protect Your Information.

Scam artists are constantly seeking new ways to gain your personal information. Often these fraud attempts come disguised at texts, emails and social media posts appearing to be from familiar businesses, such as your credit union.

More than ever, it’s important for you to be aware of how to protect yourself.

Don’t Share Personal Information

Never provide any personal information (account number, social security number, online banking login, date of birth) by unsolicited text, email or phone call.
Never share the verification code provided by Keesler Federal. No matter how urgent a request seems, think before you act.
Keesler Federal will never ask you for personal information through email, text or social media.

Be Aware of Threats

Learn more about online data privacy from the FTC’s OnGuardOnline.gov website.
Read more about fraud prevention on our Blog.

Think You May be a Victim of Fraud?

  • If you have a question about the legitimacy of a text, email or phone call you received, call us at 1-888-533-7537.
  • Monitor your credit report and accounts for activity not initiated by you. Account alerts can be set up within online and mobile banking.
  • File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
  • Visit IdentityTheft.gov for other resources.

Security Tips & Resources

Learn how to protect your money, your identity and your personal information.

Visa Secure is a free and easy way to enjoy added security to all your online Visa Card purchases. Learn more about Visa Secure.

The Federal trade commission has recommendations if you have become a victim of Identity Theft. These recommendations are outlined below. For detailed information visit the FTC’s ID Theft Website.

  1. Contact the fraud departments of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file. The fraud alert requests creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will be automatically notified to place fraud alerts. Once the alert is placed, you may order a free copy of your credit report from all three major credit bureaus.
  2. Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Use the ID Theft Affidavit when disputing new unauthorized accounts. Contact Keesler Federal’s Member Services department at 1-888-KEESLER.
  3. File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
  4. File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you.

You can help us and your fellow Keesler Federal members by forwarding suspicious and fraudulent emails to [email protected]. When you forward a phishing email to this address, it is instantly analyzed for fraud. If fraud is found, takedown procedures for the websites linked in the emails are initiated. In the majority of cases, it is member action that initiates the process of shutting down these scam artists.

Keesler Federal appreciates the tremendous response we have received from our members, non-members and various organizations in reporting the fraud emails.

Keesler Federal will never ask you to provide information directly through email. At times, members may be asked to confirm details via email or text to confirm activity by clicking a secured link sent directly by our fraud center. If you receive a suspicious email requesting personal information, please call us at 1-888-533-7537.

Phishing
Phishing is a computer-related attack that uses email to deceive you into revealing your credit card numbers, credit union account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other personal information. The email may claim to be from a business or organization you deal with such as your Internet service provider (ISP), cell phone service provider, credit union, federal agency or state agency. These messages usually take an urgent tone asking you to “update” or “validate” your account information immediately or face consequences. If you click the link included in the email, you may be taken to a website that looks like an organization you are familiar with but is in fact fake. Smishing is the text message form of phishing.  Text messages may include malicious web links designed to install malware on your device or convince you to provide your personal information. If you call a number in the cell phone text message, you may be asked to enter personal or account information, but it too is scam.

Vishing
Vishing is a computer-related attack that uses email to deceive you into revealing your credit card numbers, credit union account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other personal information. The email may claim to be from a business or organization you deal with such as your Internet service provider (ISP), cell phone service provider, credit union, federal agency or state agency. These messages usually take an urgent tone asking you to “update” or “validate” your account information immediately or face consequences. If you click the link included in the email, you may be taken to a website that looks like an organization you are familiar with but is in fact fake. Smishing is the text message form of phishing.  Text messages may include malicious web links designed to install malware on your device or convince you to provide your personal information. If you call a number in the cell phone text message, you may be asked to enter personal or account information, but it too is scam.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recommendations for avoiding being taken in by a phishing scam. Among them:

DO NOT reply or click links included in email requesting personal or financial information. Legitimate organizations don’t ask for sensitive information via email. Keesler Federal will never ask for account information in a text.

DO NOT reply to cell phone text messages requesting personal or financial information. Legitimate organizations don’t ask for sensitive information via text message. At times, members may receive a text asking to verify activity from the phone number 96923, which is our fraud center. This is ONLY to verify debit card activity, do not send any personal information via text message.

DO NOT email personal or financial information. Unlike secured web connections such as Keesler Federal Digital Banking Account Access, email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information.

If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization by phone or by typing a Web address (URL) you know to be genuine into your browser. The only web address for Keesler Federal is www.kfcu.org.

Review financial account statements as soon as possible to determine whether there are unauthorized charges.

Report suspicious activity to [email protected] and the FTC.

Keeping a close eye on your purchases and transactions makes good sense. If you discover an unfamiliar or unusual transaction in your account, consider these common causes:

  • • Another account holder made the transaction without your knowledge
  • • You did not receive a purchased item or service
  • • You were charged the wrong amount or more than once for a purchase
  • • You are still being charged for a cancelled service or subscription
  • • An expected credit to your account was not received. Before calling Keesler Federal, take the time to identify the issues that you may be able to resolve yourself. Very often, these solutions are fast and easy fixes to your account.
  • • Confer with other joint account holders to identify all charges in question. Keep an open line of communication on all account activity
  • • Check receipts for accuracy, especially those with tip amounts.
  • • Call the merchant in question as it may be their error. Most receipts or statements have contact information. Note that many merchants operate under other names and addresses different than where you made the purchase

If you determine the transaction is truly unauthorized, contact Keesler Federal at 1-888-533-7537 or visit any branch to open a claim. Please have all necessary documentation available at the time of the call or branch visit.

IMPORTANT: The transaction must have actually posted to your account for Keesler Federal to take action and cannot be pending.

NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) has put together an informative video series on cyber threats.

Here are some general guidelines you can follow to reduce the risk of your cell phone getting infected with a virus:

  • • Keep your operating system up-to-date to ensure any known security vulnerabilities are patched
  • • Only download apps from trusted sources such as the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store
  • • Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments from unknown or suspicious sources, as they may contain malware
  • • Consider installing antivirus software on your phone to help protect it from viruses or malware
  • • Use strong passwords or passcodes to protect your phone from unauthorized access
  • • Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, as they may not be secure and could allow hackers to access your phone
  • • Be cautious when rooting or jailbreaking your phone, as it can expose you to serious security risks
  • • Regularly back up your data in case your phone gets infected with a virus or malware

Mail Fraud

Mail fraud is one of the fastest growing security threats in the United States. Learn more below about how you can protect yourself and the steps you can take to report mail fraud and other forms of postal crime.

Network Security

Keesler Federal Credit Union recognizes the importance of an effective security program to protect your data and secure your finances against potential threats. Through a strong partnership between our experienced information technology team and leading-edge vendors, we provide a defense in depth (DiD) strategy to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and necessary availability of your information as well as our systems and services.

Your Online Security is Very Important to Us

The more you do online, the more important it is to take online security seriously. Below are tips, suggestions and links that can help you to protect yourself while online and on your mobile device.

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