Scammers Increasingly Impersonating Westerra and Other Credit Unions

There has been an increase in phishing calls where imposters are “spoofing” credit union phone numbers – including Westerra Credit Union - so it appears the calls are coming from the credit union. These scammers use deceptive ways to convince members to provide personal information and account numbers, such as asking to verify information, alerting them of an issue with their accounts, confirming a recent transaction, etc.

THESE ARE NOT LEGIT CALLS FROM WESTERRA CREDIT UNION. If someone calls, texts or emails you representing themselves to be from Westerra Credit Union and asks for personal information (i.e. your account number, debit/credit card Personal Identification Number (PIN), digital banking username or password, date of birth or Social Security Number, card number, user ID’s, passwords, or one-time passcodes)

• DO NOT answer them

• DO NOT click links provided in emails or text messages

• DO NOT call back the number on the caller ID since you’ll likely be calling back the imposter.

Westerra never initiates this type of communication with members. It is only if a member initiates communication with Westerra that we ask for this type of information by phone, email or text message to confirm your identity.

Remember – if YOU didn’t initially reach out, DON’T provide this information. We recommend you hang up or ignore these messages. You can contact Westerra using the number on the back of your card, calling us at 303-321-4209 or 1-800-858-7212 or emailing Email@WesterraCU.com. You can also report the scam to The Federal Trade Commission by visiting www.ftc.gov.

What to do if you Shared Sensitive Information

• Adding a credit freeze to your credit reports will require a secure PIN to unlock it prior to credit reports being accessed. Contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies, Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax. You will need to contact each agency individually in order to freeze your credit reporting.

• Sign up for credit monitoring services to monitor your credit report.

• Order your free annual copy of your credit report online to review your credit accounts and to ensure no accounts have been opened using your name that you are unaware of.

• Update all passwords on accounts and add multi-layer verification methods when available to do so.

• Have your devices scrubbed by a reputable company to ensure no viruses, spyware, or malware is present.

Keep Yourself and Your Accounts Protected

• Monitor your accounts daily and set up alerts

• Be cautious when responding to unsolicited text messages and emails.

• Never provide sensitive information to someone who has contacted you via text, email, or over the phone that you do not know.

• Always reach out to Westerra CU if you see unusual activity on your account, experience fraud, or have been a victim to a phishing scam.

Rest assured, Westerra is committed to keeping your financial accounts safe and has robust security monitoring in place. Visit our Security Center for the latest alerts and information: https://www.westerracu.com/security.