Our Loan Officer, Arlene, was so nice to work with. Her knowledge of the loan process and her ability to listen for what we wanted in a mortgage made the transition go smoothly. A very nice experience.
SFCU Member
Fraud & Digital Safety
Protect Yourself from Fraud & Scams
Scammers are becoming more sophisticated. They may contact you by phone, email, text message, or social media and pretend to be someone you know or a company you trust.
Their goal may be to get you to click a link, share personal information, provide account details, or send money.
At Somerset Federal Credit Union, protecting your personal and financial information is one of our highest priorities. We want to help you recognize the warning signs and know what to do if something doesn’t seem right.
When in doubt: Stop. Think. Verify.
Current Fraud Alert
Be Alert to Impersonation & Phone Scams
We are seeing increasingly sophisticated scams in which criminals pretend to be financial institutions and other trusted organizations.
Scammers may:
- Call from a phone number that appears to belong to your credit union
- Use the name of an actual employee
- Have personal information about you
- Claim there is suspicious activity on your account
- Tell you a transaction is “on hold” and needs to be released
- Ask you to verify personal or account information
- Ask you to approve a transaction
- Pressure you to move money to a “safe” or “secure” account
Scammers may sound convincing and may already know information about you. Even if a caller knows your name or other personal details, do not assume the call is legitimate.
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and contact us directly using a trusted phone number.
Know the Common Types of Scams
Phishing emails are designed to look like they come from your financial institution, a retailer, or another trusted company. They may ask you to click a link, verify your account, or provide personal information.
Protect Yourself: Don’t click unexpected links. Visit the company’s website directly or contact them using a trusted phone number.
Smishing is a scam delivered through text messages. Messages may claim there is a problem with your bank account, package delivery, toll payment, or another service.
Protect Yourself: Never click links in unexpected text messages. Verify the information through the company’s official website or app.
Vishing involves phone calls from scammers pretending to be your credit union, a government agency, technical support, law enforcement, or another trusted organization. They may pressure you to act immediately.
Protect Yourself: Hang up and call the organization back using a trusted phone number.
Fake online stores may advertise popular products at prices that seem too good to be true. These sites may offer limited payment options or prices far below what you would normally expect.
Protect Yourself: Shop with trusted retailers and look for https:// before entering payment information.
You receive a message saying you’ve won a prize, but you’re asked to pay a fee or provide personal or financial information to claim it.
Protect Yourself: Remember, legitimate prizes don’t require you to pay to receive them.
Scammers can use artificial intelligence to create convincing emails, voice recordings, videos, or messages that appear to come from someone you know.
Protect Yourself: Verify unexpected requests by contacting the person directly using a trusted phone number — not the number provided in the message.
In some scams, criminals may contact you claiming that Somerset Federal Credit Union is the one committing the fraud. They may tell you that your account has been compromised, that someone at the credit union is stealing your money, or that you need to move your funds to protect them.
These scammers may sound convincing and may use information about you or your accounts to make their story seem legitimate.
Protect Yourself: Do not move money, provide account information, or share passwords or verification codes based on an unexpected call or message. If someone tells you that your credit union is involved in fraudulent activity, stop and contact Somerset Federal Credit Union directly using a trusted phone number.
Never move your money to a “safe” or “secure” account because someone tells you to.
Fraudsters may attempt to access or use a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) without your knowledge. Because a HELOC can provide access to a significant amount of available credit, it’s important to regularly monitor your account — even if you aren’t actively using your line of credit.
Protect Yourself:
- Review your HELOC activity regularly.
- Watch for unfamiliar advances, transfers, payments, or other transactions.
- Pay attention to account notifications and alerts.
- Contact us immediately if you notice activity you don’t recognize.
If you have a HELOC, don’t assume that no activity means no one is accessing your account. Regularly monitoring your account can help you spot unauthorized activity quickly.
Protect Yourself
Think Before You Click
Before clicking a link, opening an attachment, scanning a QR code, or responding to an unexpected message, ask yourself:
If something doesn’t feel right, don’t click, respond, or provide information. Contact the company directly using a trusted phone number or website.
Protect Your Accounts
Simple steps can help protect your accounts and personal information:
- Use a unique password for every account.
- Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) whenever possible.
- Keep your devices and software updated.
- Consider using a password manager.
- Monitor your financial accounts regularly for suspicious activity.
What Somerset Federal Credit Union Will NEVER Do
We will never ask you to provide:
- Your online banking password
- Your debit or credit card PIN
- A verification code so we can “protect” your account
- Sensitive personal information through an unexpected text or email
- Money to be moved to a “safe” or “secure” account
We will also never pressure you to make an immediate financial decision simply because someone contacted you unexpectedly.
If someone asks you for this information, stop and contact us directly.
Think You’ve Been a Victim?
Act Quickly.
If you clicked a suspicious link, provided personal information, sent money, or believe your account or personal information may have been compromised, contact Somerset Federal Credit Union immediately.
The sooner we’re notified, the sooner we can help protect your accounts.
Depending on the situation, you may need to:
Report suspicious transactions, unauthorized withdrawals, or unfamiliar account activity right away. We may recommend freezing or closing an account, replacing your debit or credit card, or changing your online banking password and PIN.
Create a unique password for each account and enable Multi-Factor Authentication whenever possible. Consider changing passwords for online banking, email, shopping websites, payment apps, and social media accounts.
If you believe your personal information has been stolen, you can contact the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert or freeze your credit:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
Keep copies of reports, emails, and other documentation related to the incident. You can report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov.
When in Doubt, Contact Us
If something doesn’t look right, stop before you click, respond, or send money.
We’re here to help.
Call Somerset Federal Credit Union: 508-678-2851
Use a trusted phone number to contact us rather than a number provided in a suspicious message.
Protect your information. Protect your money.
I have been a member for a very long time. I am always satisfied with whatever I need to do at the Credit Union. The staff is always accommodating and courteous. The hours of operation are also very convenient.
SFCU Member
Our friend mentioned how great SFCU was to work with. The staff makes you feel welcome. Working with the mortgage team was great and very helpful.
SFCU Member
I was overall pleased with my experience. Jessica, our Money Management Officer, was easy going and very professional. She understood my circumstance, had compassion and a genuine, caring, pleasant persona for my situation.
SFCU Member