Animas Credit Union is always concerned about the protection of its members' information. We are committed to giving you information to help protect yourself against fraud and identity theft by utilizing many resources. One of these resources is the Federal Trade Commission.

The Federal Trade Commission is the nation's consumer protection agency. The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection works for the consumer to prevent fraud, deception, and unfair business practices in the marketplace. To learn more about who they are and what they do for consumers, click here.

At Animas Credit Union, the security of your financial information is of paramount important to us. We want you to be aware of any potential scams that have been brought to our attention so that you can be better informed. In this most recent "phone scam" as seen below, members are asked to provide debit card information. Several Animas Credit Union members have notified us that they were contacted by these scammers. In the event you are called, please do not divulge any information. Instead, call us at 505-326-7701 or 800-545-4033 to report the incident. Here are the details we have received:

State of New Mexico
Office of Attorney General
Gary K. King

SCAM ALERT
Monday, August 23, 2010

Contact: Phil Sisneros 505-827-6792       Lynn Southard 505-222-9048

Albuquerque and Farmington's Southwest Federal Credit Union alerted the New Mexico Attorney General's Office today to the latest financial institution phishing scam to hit members and non-members in New Mexico.

The automated call from 416 678-5472 in Canada requests debit card information to "unlock your account." Reported calls have arrived strictly on cell phones.

DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS CALL. CONTACT SOUTHWEST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION TO REPORT AT 505-243-6751.

Southwest Federal Credit Union has received more than 200 calls as of 11:30 am today from members and non-members.

Members who have shared their personal information when the scam call was received are encouraged to visit their Southwest Federal Credit Union branch to report and change passwords on accounts.

Scammers Contacting Credit Union Members

There has been a significant increase in complaints involving unsolicited e-mails directing consumers to phony "member service" or "customer service" websites or directly asking for member information. Animas Credit Union will never request confidential information through e-mail. Please report any such request to Animas Credit Union at questions@animascu.com or call (505) 326-7701 and ask for the Electronic Services Director.

Credit unions have reported that a telephone scam has occurred in the Los Alamos and Santa Fe areas. Local credit unions report their members were contacted by an automated caller claiming their plastic cards were compromised. Members were then referred to a "security department" and asked for their card number and PIN. Unfortunately members have provided that personal information despite best efforts to inform them to never do that.

The attorney general's office was made aware of this situation and contacted the local media. Credit Union Association of New Mexico (CUANM) president and CEO Sylvia Lyon taped an interview with KOB-TV recently stressing the importance of never divulging personal financial information to any unsolicited phone caller.

Animas Credit Union wanted to make you aware of these recent events and encourages you to contact us at (505) 326-7701 and ask for the Electronic Services Director or email us at questions@animascu.com. if you have a similar experience.

More Secure Internet Shopping Tips

Learn more by clicking here.

Learn more about identity theft

The Federal Trade Commission's website is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of identity theft. It provides detailed information to help you deter, detect, and defend against identity theft. Read on to find out more about identity theft and what you can do to prevent identity theft.

Counterfeit Checks and Fake Check Scams

Consumers are being taken advantage of by scam artists who prey on their vulnerabilities and lack of knowledge about checks. You may get a letter stating something like "It's your lucky day! You just won a foreign lottery!" There's also a cashier's check to cover the taxes and fees. All you have to do to get your winnings is deposit the check and wire the money to the sender to pay the taxes and fees. You're guaranteed that when they get your payment, you'll get your prize. Unfortunately, that's a scam.

Counterfeit or fake checks are being used in a growing number of fraudulent schemes, including foreign lottery scams, check overpayment scams, Internet auction scams, and secret shopper scams.

Check overpayment scams target consumers selling cars or other valuable items through classified ads or online auction sites. Unsuspecting sellers get stuck when scammers pass off bogus cashier's checks, corporate checks, or personal checks. Click here to read about how it happens.