SCAM ALERT: How to Tell a Text Message is NOT from Your Trusted Financial Institution

We continue to receive reports that fraudulent text messages, known as smishing scams, are going around our area, impersonating 3Rivers. In most cases, these texts state that you recently made a purchase from a specific store and ask you to click a link to confirm or deny the charges. These texts often look very authentic, but there are a few key indicators that they're coming from scammers and not your trusted financial institution. Read on for details and examples!

Here are the biggest red flags that a text message is NOT from 3Rivers:

• A link within the text message. Our fraud text alerts do NOT contain links. Especially links that look like a jumbled mess of letters and numbers or other suspicious jargon. We won't ask you to click links or provide any personal information, only that you reply with a "YES" or "NO" to confirm or deny charges.
• A full phone number. Our fraud alerts will come from a short code, not a full phone number.
• A heightened sense of urgency. If a text claims that your account has been frozen or closed due to fraud and that you can dispute it by taking some kind of action, beware. This is meant to incite panic!
• Poor grammar and misspellings. While we aren't perfect and may have a spelling error in our communications from time to time, a text or email full of grammatical and spelling errors, strange line breaks or spaces, or a mix of text and symbols is a good indication that it's not from us (or any trusted company).
• An ask for personal information. We already have your personal and account information on file and will NOT text or call asking for these details. This includes address, social security number, card numbers, digital banking usernames and passwords, etc.

Here are some examples of fake fraud alert texts:

For some additional tips on what to look out for, check out this article on how to identify phone scams and this one on how to identify email and text message scams. Additionally, here’s some information on other common examples of fraud, including IRS fraud, payday loan scams, and more.

What should I do if I believe I’ve been contacted by a scammer?

Get in touch with your financial institution right away, especially if you interacted with the scammer in any way (clicked links or gave information). We also always encourage you to follow-up with us directly at 800.825.3641 if you're unsure whether a communication or alert has actually come from 3Rivers so we can confirm!

3Rivers members, please take one of the following steps:

• Call us at 800.825.3641.
• Send a secure message via the Message Center within your 3Rivers digital banking.
• Visit this page for details on disputing a transaction.
• Write to us at:
  3Rivers Credit Union
  Attn: Identity Theft
  P.O. Box 2573
  Fort Wayne, IN 46801

Give us as much detail as you can, but NEVER provide account numbers by email. If necessary, we’ll contact you to discuss further and personally assist you.

What steps can I take to prevent myself from falling victim to fraud?

• Educate yourself, stay alert, and trust your instincts!
• NEVER share your 3Rivers digital banking username/password with merchants or other people. This information is solely for your use and is the gateway to your account information.
• We encourage you to change your passwords frequently ( here are some tips for creating a strong one).
• Keep a close eye on your accounts (we make it easy with online access and mobile banking)!
• Refrain from writing down or sharing any identifying information, such as passwords, PINs, or account numbers, and take care to shred any mail or other paper documents that contain this information.
• Beware of your surroundings when entering PIN numbers or relaying sensitive information by phone.

For even more tips on keeping safe from fraud, and steps to take if you’ve fallen victim, check out THIS BLOG POST and visit our FRAUD LIBRARY, which is full of resources!

Stay safe out there, readers!