Our Security Spotlight features information about current scams, provides tips to protect yourself from fraud attacks, and offers steps you should take should you fall victim to fraud.

• Tax Transcript Email Scam - The IRS has warned the public of fraudulent emails that are impersonating the IRS using tax transcripts to entice recipients to open attached documents. These documents can contain malicious malware which will damage your personal network or business network depending on where you open the file. Remember, the IRS will never send unsolicited emails, nor would it email sensitive documents such as tax transcripts. To learn more click here.
  

• Valentines Day Scams - The days leading up to Valentine's day can be peak season for scammers preying on lonely singles looking for love. A common scam uses dating sites where a scammer will create a fake profile. After making contact with their target, and some back and forth interactions, the scammer informs their target that they have some type of financial problem. They may ask their victims to send money to them for a sick family member or to come visit them, only to never be heard from again after receiving the funds. According to the FBI, romance scams account for the highest financial losses of all internet-facilitated crimes. If you utilize internet dating sites, use caution and never send money to someone you don't know.
  

• Winter Weather Scams - With the recent snow storms and freezing temperatures comes fake "handymen" looking to defraud you of cash. Beware of any person that stops by unannounced looking to "fix" household items. These scammers tend to fix something that isn't broken or make a quick faulty repair, leaving with your money and you needing potential future repairs to your house and your stuff. The best way to avoid these types of scams, is call known, legitimate businesses to do repairs, and consider getting a second opinion or quote. 
  

1. Do Online Searches - Type a company or individual name into your search engine and do research on them. Include keywords such as, "review," "complaint," or "scam" and see if anything pops up. Most scams that happen to individuals everyday are forms of older scams and can be researched with a quick internet check. 
   
   
2. Money Requests Are a Red Flag - If an individual you don't know asks for money for a service you have not requested, it's a red flag. Scammers tend to request money to be wired to them, or will ask for money in gift card form as payment. We recommend you never send money to someone you don't know.
   
   
3. Don't React Quickly - Scammers have their most success when they make you nervous and get you to do something quickly. If something doesn't feel right, take your time and think it through before you make any decisions. Another idea is to reach out to a trusted friend or family member who is not familiar with the situation and ask for their advice. Taking your time to make a decision could save you from falling victim to fraud.
   
   
4. Call Immediately If You Suspect You're a Victim of Fraud - Should you fall victim to a scam, one of the first steps to follow is contact the proper authorities along with your financial institution(s) to make them aware. Your accounts will be shut down and precautionary steps will be taken to prevent against future loss.

CardNav gives you real-time control over your debit cards through your smartphone or tablet. It also adds another level of security to your cards by letting you decide how and when they can be used, and alerting you when any types of transactions you specify take place. You can even use CardNav to set personal spending limits that help you stay within your budget goals.

• Turn cards on or off in seconds
• Use GPS to restrict transactions to businesses within a designated area
• Limit card use to specific merchants or purchases
• Receive real-time, in app alerts that let you stop unauthorized purchases before they're complete
• Receive alerts when you're getting close to any personal spending limit you've set

Download the CardNav app and gain a new level of security and control over your money today!

If you'd like more information about Astera's security services, call us at 800.323.0048, stop into any branch to speak with a member service representative, or visit us at www.AsteraCU.com.