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In an already challenging time, an unfortunate reality is that fraudsters are attempting to take advantage of the anxiety and uncertainty that many are feeling as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Parkside Credit Union is committed to maintaining the security of your personal information and we request that you please take caution and continue to be vigilant in doing your part to protect your accounts. 

Please review the following information pertaining to some common scams as well as security measures Parkside continues to enforce. 

SCAMS

One of the most common scams seen by credit unions and their members is phishing, which refers to a situation in which a fraudster poses as a legitimate individual or organization in order to gain access to sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, or passwords. If you receive a phone call claiming to be from Parkside and have reason to believe that it may not be legitimate, please hang up and contact us immediately at 734.525.0700. If you believe you have received a fraudulent email or text that claims to be from us, please delete the email or text immediately and do not click any links or reply to the email or text. 

Examples of Phishing Scams Related to COVID-19:

• Targeting your Social Security Benefits
  While local Social Security Administration offices are currently closed to the public, SSA will continue to pay benefits on time and these payments will not be suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. If you are contacted by someone purporting to be from SSA who is requesting personal information or instructing you to mail or wire cash in order to maintain your benefits, please disregard the call, email, or text. Click here for FAQs from the Social Security Administration regarding your benefits during the outbreak.

• IRS Stimulus Check Scam
  The distribution of economic impact payments (stimulus checks) is currently expected to start in mid-April. These payments will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. Many individuals will be receiving federal stimulus checks directly deposited into their accounts, giving fraudsters the opportunity to conduct phishing scams in an attempt to change direct deposit information and intercept the payment. The Internal Revenue Service is reminding the public that they will not call and ask individuals to verify payment details or request personal information such an account number. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, do not engage with the caller and hang up immediately. If you receive emails or texts claiming to be from the IRS, do not click on any links and delete the email immediately. 

PARKSIDE SECURITY

Parkside adheres to cybersecurity best practices and meets the strong data security standards established by government regulators. Our various electronic services are safe and secure. We recommend that you monitor your accounts on a regular basis so that you can immediately identify fraud should it occur.  

Online/Mobile Banking
Parkside’s online banking and mobile app are encrypted, and firewalls are utilized to prevent anyone other than the authorized user from accessing information. Please remember that it is crucial that you not share your user name and password with anyone. 

Parkside encourages all of our mobile app users to take advantage of the free Manage My Cards and Transaction Activity Alerts features:

• Manage My Cards allows you to turn off/on your cards, giving you more control over when the card is used, limiting the window of opportunity for fraudulent use. 
• Transaction Activity Alerts allows you to activate a push notification on your debit and credit cards so that you are notified each time your card is being used.

Payments
Our credit and debit card processors monitor for fraudulent activity 24/7. Their systems are designed to score and analyze member debit and credit card patterns to determine fraudulent activity. You are contacted immediately if they identify potential fraud on your card. Just remember that they may ask you to confirm transaction details, but will never ask you to verify your personal information or card number.  

If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding the security of your Parkside financial information and accounts, please do not hesitate to contact us.