Fraud Involving Mobile Payment Apps Surges

As technology advances, so do scams and cybersecurity challenges. Fraudsters are becoming more and more creative finding opportunities in our high-tech world.

We’re seeing a surge in fraud – much of which involves Zelle®. You may have seen news reports about fraudsters impersonating a financial institution and tricking consumers into sending them money through Zelle®, even if they’ve never used the payment app before. Unfortunately, Members of HEBFCU are also being victimized and several have experienced fraud through these scams.

Please be alert to the risk of being targeted by scammers online, by text or phone.

What to watch for

Scammers continuously update their tactics, but always with the objective of tricking you to click on a link or open an attachment. The fraudulent scenario may

  • Alert you to suspicious activity or suspected fraud
  • Refer to a problem with your account or a transaction
  • Ask you to confirm personal information
  • Offer tech support
  • Instruct you to click on a link to make a payment for a service

If someone texts, calls or emails you claiming to be from the credit union, or a company you know, and asks for private information, do not respond. As your financial institution, we will never ask for this information. Scammers might ask you to verify or provide

  • An account number or transaction
  • PIN, user name, password or passcode, or some other sensitive data
  • Date of birth
  • Social Security number

What to do

To avoid being tricked into giving a scammer money

  • Never share account numbers, PINs, passwords, access codes or sensitive data with someone who contacts you unexpectedly; your financial institution will never ask for this information
  • Don’t click on links or images in unsolicited emails or texts
  • Always remember if something doesn’t feel right, you can stop

Then, contact HEBFCU directly at our published number, 210.938.7850, to inquire about anything dealing with your accounts. When you initiate contact with us, you can be sure you are working with the credit union.

H-E-B Federal Credit Union is committed to helping you keep your information safe and secure. You can help us by using these best practices and staying informed.  

Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.