Fraud Protection

You use your debit card every day for convenient purchases and other transactions. Here's how to keep it safe.

Get the CardValet App

CardValet helps you manage your finances, while protecting you from fraud, by controlling how, when and where your MTCU debit card is used through your smartphone. You can turn your card on/off, set up GPS parameters for spending, block certain types of transactions, monitor children or student purchases, and receive alerts each time a purchase is made.

Lost Debit or Credit Card

Here's what you need to do:

1. Take a few minutes to retrace your steps. Try to remember where you were when you last saw your cards. Check around your house, and place a call to the restaurant, gas station or store that you may have visited in the past few days. If the search fails to locate your lost cards, move to the next step immediately.
2. Once you believe that your cards are lost or stolen, call MTCU at 1-800-472-3272 and any applicable credit card companies as soon as possible to limit any potential liabilities. Cancel your missing cards and then request that new ones be issued. Change the PIN, login and passwords on other accounts that use the same access codes as those on the missing cards. Experienced customer service representatives are ready to assist you.
3. Keep an eye on your credit union and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. If you notice anything unusual, write down the processing date, the amount and the name of the merchant. Contact the applicable financial institution to pass along the information about the fraudulent transaction so that they can conduct an investigation.
4. Contact creditors, insurers and other companies that receive regularly scheduled payments tied directly to your lost debit or credit card. Provide the company with the number and expiration date from your new card so that you can continue to receive goods and services.

A lost or stolen debit or credit card does not have to be a disaster. Knowing what to do and how to report the problem will minimize the severity of the situation and allow you to maintain control of your finances. If you would like more information on how to handle a lost or stolen bankcard, contact our office for assistance.

Traveling with your MTCU VISA® Debit Card

While traveling with your MTCU VISA® Debit Card, Debit card usage is restricted to U.S.-based transactions unless you complete an MTCU Debit Card Travel Letter to enable PIN based usage while traveling overseas. When traveling inside the U.S., please use your pin number to minimize card restrictions

Phishing

The Texas Credit Union League (TCUL) has been advised of a new phishing attack that targets credit union members. The attacks come in as an email urging members to update their data online. When members access the fraudulent site, their user credentials and account details are requested. Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive unsuspecting consumers into disclosing their credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, and other sensitive information. Phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a legitimate business or organization, and the message usually asks that the recipient update or validate his/her account information.

Scam Red Flags & Prevention Tips Scams are often hard to detect at a quick glance; however, these common red flags can help. Keep in mind…it is not uncommon for fraudsters to use intimidation tactics and urgent requests.
• Don’t always trust the display name - criminals will spoof the email name to appear to be a legitimate sender
• Check for misspelled words, bad grammar, and/or typos within the content
• Be cautious of clicking links and opening attachments – Don’t click unless you are confident of the sender or expecting the attachment
• Do not provide personal or account information when asked. Openly sharing information on social media can provide an identity thief with the necessary information to impersonate you or answer certain challenge questions.
• Do not share a one-time passcode sent via text or email to your device
• Check email salutations - many legitimate businesses will use a personal salutation
• Be suspicious of “urgent” or “immediate” response needed or “unauthorized login attempt” of your account
• Know that the IRS or Social Security Administration will never contact you by phone, email, text or social media
• Don’t believe everything you see. Brand logos, names and addresses may appear legitimate
• Be suspicious if the recipient group seems random or unusual (e.g., all last names begin with the same letter)
• Watch for emails or texts that appear to be a reply to a message that you didn’t actually send
• Monitor the sender’s email address for suspicious URLs & domains – often using similar letters and numbers
• If something seems suspicious; contact that source with a new email or phone call, rather than just hitting reply
• Be wary of offers that appear too good to be true, require fast action, or instill a sense of fear.
• Keep social media accounts private and be cautious who you’re connecting with. Never share anything related to your credit union account, transactional history, or identifying information in unprotected public forums

OnGuard Online

OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer and protect your personal information.

Fraud Help Resources - General ID Theft

These resources are helpful for learning more about combating fraud.

• U.S. Department of Justice Identity Theft and Fraud information
• Identity Theft Prevention and Survival Site
• FTC: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft: 1-877-idtheft
• Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICCC)
• (ICCC) Ransomware Information
• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: 619-298-3396
• Social Security Administration: 800-772-1213
• Anti-Phishing Working Group

Credit Bureaus

Contact the three major bureaus to report fraud and order a credit report.

• Equifax: To order a report, call 800-685-1111; to report fraud, call 800-525-6285.
• Experian: To order a report or report fraud, call 888-397-3742.
• TransUnion: To order a report, call 800-888-4213; to report fraud, call 800-680-7289.

Check Fraud

If you suspect fraud, contact these organizations:

• CheckRite
• ChexSystems: 800-428-9623
• Cross Check