IT'S YOUR MONEY - KEEP IT SAFE!

Fraud costs everyone time, money and sleep. It seems as if a new scam comes along every day. Whether it's Phishing, a letter scam or identity theft, the goal is the same–to separate you from your money. Don't let them have it! Here is a brief look at preventing fraud. For more detailed information, or if you think you have been scammed, please visit the Federal Trade Commission website at www.ftc.gov.

Phishing
Phishing takes the form of a legitimate looking e-mail. It may appear to be from your financial institution, a government agency or another trustworthy organization. It often asks the recipient to verify personal information-your Social Security number, account number, PIN, password or driver's license number. There may be a link to a replica website containing authenticlooking logos and graphics; all designed to get you to enter your personal information.

Tip: Never open an e-mail that looks suspicious. If you do open it, do not click on any links; just close and delete it.

Tip:
Legitimate companies and organizations- including San Francisco Federal Credit Union-will never ask for your confidential information in an e-mail or at a linked website.

Letter Scams
You may have heard of the now infamous Nigerian letter scam. There are many variations, but they all go something like this: You receive a letter or e-mail from someone who claims they want to transfer a large sum of money out of another country. They need you to receive it for them. They will give you a share of the money if you provide your bank account information and/or send them money to cover the cost of transferring the huge sum.

Tip: No one is going to send a large amount of money to someone they do not know.

Identity Theft
Many victims of identity theft do not know how their information was obtained. It may be through Phishing, but more often it is by a low-tech method. A recent study concluded that more identities are stolen from information taken from wallets, mail and checkbooks rather than via a computer. Online transactions may actually be safer, because fraud can be detected sooner than through mailed statements and bills.

Tip:Shred all paper with any identifying information on it.

Tip: Examine your credit report regularly. You can receive a free report from each of the major credit bureaus once a year. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call (877) 322-8228.

Tip: Keep your purchase and ATM receipts to compare with your statements.

Tip: Request to receive your San Francisco Federal Credit Union statements online, rather than by mail.

Please note: San Francisco Federal Credit Union will never send email containing attachments, or require customers to send personal information to us via email or pop-up windows. Any unsolicited request for San Francisco Federal Credit Union account information you receive through emails, Web sites, or pop-up windows should be considered fraudulent and reported immediately.

To learn more about your credit union, please contact us at (415) 775-5377, option 4 or contacts@SanFranciscoFCU.com.