Have you ever received a text message asking you to confirm or deny a purchase from your financial institution? While this is standard practice to protect you against card fraud, scammers also know that financial institutions send these out. They are now taking advantage by trying to mimic these messages to gain your trust. If you respond 'Yes' or 'No' or call the number in the message, the individuals who respond will often attempt to impersonate financial institution representatives, trying to scare you into revealing personal information!

A real representative will never ask you for:

• Online banking information
• Pin or CVV number for your debit card
• Social Security Number

If you ever doubt that you are speaking with a real O Bee Credit Union representative or any other financial institution, hang up immediately and call back. Verify the phone number directly on your institution's website or app. A real representative will be okay with it. Our goal is for you to be safe - if the caller tries to stop you from hanging up the line, that's a red flag! Nowadays, it's easy to fake a number online, so just because a text or caller ID looks like it came from a legitimate company doesn't mean it is.

What to do if you receive a phone call or text message you didn't expect:

• Stop & breathe. Scammers often try to make you feel a sense of fear or urgency to get you to reveal information that you would otherwise know to keep safe.
• Don't click any links or call the number in the text message. Even clicking a link can allow a scammer to download dangerous apps or spyware on your phone.
• Call a trusted number that you find on the company's website, bank statement, or utility bill.

Remember, if you are unsure if a text comes from O Bee Credit Union, call us at (360) 943-0740, and our contact center team will be happy to help you!