Spoofing is the term used to describe the practice of altering an email address, display name, phone number, text message, or website URL to convince a target that they are interacting with a known, trusted source. This can be as simple as changing a single letter in a web address such as netffix.com being used for Netflix. The scam can also be more complex, like a phone call appearing to be from your financial institution on your phone’s caller ID. In either case, the goal is to trick you into believing the communication is legitimate and to get you to perform an action that compromises your confidential information.

So, how do you protect yourself? There are several steps you can take to protect yourself from spoofing attempts:

• Use your email’s spam filter. This can prevent many spoofed emails from ever making it to your inbox.
• Never click on links or open attachments from unknown senders. In doing so, you may unknowingly download Malware onto your device or provide your confidential information to a spoofed site.
• If you receive a suspicious email or text message asking you to log into your account, never click on the link provided. Instead, navigate to the known website URL in another window or tab, or use the dedicated app on your device to log into your account. Then you can verify any claims made in the suspicious communication.
• If you get a phone call requesting personal information, don’t provide it. Hang up immediately and reach out to the supposed caller using a known communication method, such as their publicly available phone number. Do not trust the contact information contained in the caller ID.
• Take your time and stay calm. Spoofing is often used in combination with a sense of urgency, like an issue with your account. If you are feeling pressured to act quickly, it can be a sign that the communication is not legitimate.

If you experience Spoofing, report it immediately to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by visiting reportfraud.ftc.gov. If your personal information has been compromised, or you have lost money due to a spoofing attack, be sure to reach out to your financial institution and consider contacting your local police department and reviewing your credit report.

MC Federal Credit Union is here to support you as your financial partner. If you are a victim of fraud, we have resources to help you get back on track.  Remember, the credit union will never reach out to you to request confidential information such as your PIN number, digital banking password, or account numbers. Should you have any questions or concerns about the legitimacy of a communication, call us at 800.834.0082, send us a digital banking message, or stop into your local branch.