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.

  • CrowdFunding Scams - Crowdfunding projects are becoming more and more popular with people that put their ideas for products online and then ask for money and/or donations to make their idea a reality. And now, scammers are capitalizing on this same process, only at the end of the project there are no results. They simply take your money and never produce the product for which you donated. Crowdfunding can be a very legitimate way to get small ideas from a small company or individual to reach market. If you want to participate in a crowdfunding campaign, just make sure you are doing your research on the creators and their past work before you pledge any money. To learn more visit here.
  • Craigslist Fake Ads - Craigslist scams have been around for quite some time and it's likely they aren't going away anytime soon due to the nature of the website. Craigslist is used to sell a multitude of items, services or even housing. And with the latter, scammers are posting houses for rent. When a person sees and is interested in an incredible deal on a house to rent for a low price, they are asked to then make a wire deposit down payment. Of course in the end, the house either never belonged to the lister or doesn't really exist leaving victims with hundreds of dollars lost. The best way to avoid these scams, is to do your own Google search on the rental, visit the location yourself prior to paying anyone online, or even contacting a rental agency.
  • Vacation Scams - Spring is a busy time for vacations and with those vacations comes fake vacation scams. Beware of emails that offer vacations that seem too good to be true. Clicking on links of unrecognized emails could result in you getting harmful malware placed on your computer. As with the previously mentioned scams, you can research these deals or look for legitimate offers on Google. If you can't find the same promotion via legitimate sources, chances are your email might be a scam.
  1. Buy locally - Finding products online through Craigslist and Ebay can help you land some incredible deals, but they also make you vulnerable to fraud or scams. Look for deals locally where you can meet the person in a public place and inspect products prior to purchasing.

  2. Think it over - Never make a quick decision. Successful scams are built around pressuring you to make a split second decision. Scammers want to get your money before you realize what happened. Take some time, think about the situation, and after thinking it over then make your decision on if it's the right thing to do.

  3. Check your accounts often - A lot of the time a person doesn't even know they've fallen victim to fraud. Checking your account(s) daily is the easiest way to monitor your finances, and see if there are any unauthorized transactions. Catching fraud early allows you to take immediate action and close compromised account(s) so that you won't continue to experience monetary losses.

  4. Call immediately if you suspect you're a victim of fraud - If you fall victim to a scam, one of the first steps to follow is contacting your financial institution(s) and proper law enforcement agencies to make them aware. Once you notify your financial institution your accounts will be shut down and steps will be taken to prevent against continued and/or future loss.

Kasasa Protect is a comprehensive identity fraud protection and restoration solution offered to all Astera members. Give yourself peace of mind with this extra layer of identity protection.

Features of Kasasa Protect:

  • Credit reporting
  • Monthly credit score
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Full-service identity restoration
  • Lost wallet protection
  • Email alerts/Credit alerts
  • 24/7 dedicated Kasasa Protect support team

Service requirements:

  • Must have an Astera checking account*
  • Must be 18 years of age or older
  • Must have an email address (joint account holders must each provide unique email addresses for this service)

Fill out the form below and we will contact you with more information on Kasasa Protect!

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*Funds must come from an Astera checking account.

If you'd like more information on 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.