With advances in technology and criminals using sophisticated new fraud techniques, the thought of defending yourself from fraud or identity theft can be scary. Here are some tips, however, on how to protect your identity, and your money, from those out there looking to deceive you.

1. Never give out personal information over the phone or by email. The credit union, your utility company, or phone provider will never reach out to you to request personal or account information over the phone or by email. Criminals are now able to fake the phone number that appears on your caller ID, so you can no longer rely on confirming the phone number itself to determine if a call is legitimate. If you receive a call of this nature, hang up and immediately call the company, using a phone number obtained from their official website or invoice, in order to confirm the validity of the call. Goldenwest Credit Union will NEVER ask for your PIN, Social Security Number, Account Number, Security Codes or Card Numbers while contacting you via phone or email. If you have received a suspicious call of this nature, please contact us right away at 1-800-283-4550.

2. Obtain a credit monitoring or identity theft service. With the amount of personal information contained within online databases, and with organizational compromises on the rise, identity theft is more of an issue than it has ever been before. The Federal Trade Commission suggests that every individual be armed with a credit monitoring or identity theft protection service to help identify possible threats to your identity and to help you feel secure in this changing climate. Goldenwest offers an identity theft solution that not only protects from potential threats to your identity, but offers a fully-managed recovery service, to you and qualifying family members, in order to minimize the affect possible identity theft may have. To see plan options, visit our Fraud-Defender webpage.

3. Avoid using your PIN for card transactions. The PIN associated with your card is a secure, 4-digit number that allows you direct access to obtain cash or perform debit transactions. Although it is tempting to use your PIN everywhere you use your card, this can be dangerous to your financial security. With skimming devices on the rise, using your PIN can give criminals access to not just your card number, but also a way to withdraw cash directly from your account through the use of ATMs and PIN based transactions. To avoid this, ask the cashier if you can run your card as signature or credit. You can also select “credit” right at the gas pump. This option is available even when using a debit card. Although this may not prevent fraud completely, it can limit how criminals are able to use your card and keep your account more secure.

4. Utilize Card Controls to minimize card risk. Our Card Controls option within the GWCU mobile app is a great tool to help keep your account more secure. Not planning on using a card for a few days? Card Controls allows you to temporarily disable your card until you need to use it, giving you control over your card transactions and additional security for your account. Goldenwest uses advanced technology to monitor card activity and alert our members in the case of suspected fraud, however, if you suspect that you may be a victim of card fraud, minimize your risk by having your card blocked right away. You can do this yourself through our Card Controls service, or report the card stolen at 1-800-283-4550.