Fraud Alerts

“Bank Jugging” Threatens Credit Union Member Security

Criminals target distracted individuals at branches or ATMs, following them and stealing valuables from their vehicles.

Occasionally, these criminals pretend to be helpful at ATMs, suggesting members use their tap card on deliberately obstructed machines, allowing the thief to withdraw funds afterward.

Our credit union is dedicated to enhancing member security through advanced technology and education. We’re working diligently to raise awareness of potential risks and encourage vigilance when interacting with strangers offering unsolicited advice. Your safety is our priority.

Read Jugging: A Guide for People Driven Members

One common scam is to request payment for goods or services through a gift card.  The thief will request that the buyer purchase a gift card and send them the card info as immediate payment.

They will seem nice and give you reasons why this is a legitimate transaction, but once they have the gift card code, they have your money, and you won’t receive the promised purchase!

Never cash a check for a stranger, especially if they ask you to give them all or some of the money back.
Your bank may give you the funds for the check, but when that check is returned as bad, you will be expected to pay it back in full.

This is a common scam pulled on young people with no strikes against their credit, and they may be able to cash checks more efficiently.  Sometimes, the young adults even know it is a scam but get talked into making quick cash.

Parents, warn your kids – this is a fast way to ruin your credit!

PDCU will never contact you and request you to provide your personal information.

• If we contact you, we may ask you to verify your identification that we provide.
• If you contact us, we may ask you to provide proof of identification.

Consider who is initiating the contact before you provide personal information.

Scammers may pose as government officials, law enforcement, or other known companies to steal your personal information. Always validate a person’s organization by calling them back through an official phone number, not one provided by the caller.

Look carefully at the URL in the link or email, even if it looks like a company you trust.  URL links can be tricky.  PayPal is not the same as PayPal.  Look for minor differences that could signal a phony URL.

Sometimes, a link can look legit but be just text hiding a different URL.  Right-click the link and check the “Properties” to see where it’s taking you.

When in doubt, contact the company another way.

Don’t click on the link if you’re not expecting communication from a company.
Please feel free to contact the company if you have any questions.

Scammers may pose as an employee of a large telecommunications company or a technical support provider to tell you that your computer is experiencing technical problems.

They will ask for remote access to solve the problem before demanding that you buy software or pay a fee to fix the computer.

If you give a stranger remote access, they may be able to pull your personal information out of your computer records.

Even if you can trust someone you are wiring money to, verify the wiring instructions.

It is easy for someone to commit fraud by faking instructions to divert money into another account, or a typo you make in instructions may send the money to the wrong person.

One common tactic of any scam is to rush you into acting fast before you have time to think.  Scammers typically demand immediate responses and payment. Sometimes, they even threaten law enforcement or legal action. It could be a scam if you feel threatened, pressured, rushed, or asked not to provide details to others or your bank about the reason for a transaction. Always ask us for help.