In today’s economy, every cent counts. To make sure that a scam doesn’t come between you and your hard earned money, Maine credit unions are continuously working to educate members on how they can keep their money and identity safe. Here are some of the ways that you can protect yourself against this growing threat:

Never give your Social Security number, account number, or credit card number to anyone who calls you, and always follow up on calls about account information.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from your credit union asking for account information, hang up, and call back using the number on your account statement.

If you did respond to such a solicitation, contact your financial institution directly using the local phone number provided by your financial institution.

Having a pin number that is difficult for a scammer to guess is also a good defense. When creating a pin number, avoid using information that could be easily discovered, such as your mother’s maiden name, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, your birth date, your telephone number or address. Instead, choose a unique combination of letters and numbers.

Fraudulent checks are also a way that money can be lost. Think twice before depositing checks that come to you via an internet sale, have the condition that you have to send money back to someone from the check’s proceeds, or are issued from an unknown party.

Review your credit reports to make sure all information is accurate, and get it corrected if it is not. Your credit union can help show you where you can access this information.

To find our more on how you can protect yourself from identity theft, contact a credit union near you, or visit www.mainecul.org.

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