How One Member Fought Back Against Impersonation Fraud

FRAUD ALERT: Our members have recently reported a surge in fraud cases that involve scammers impersonating Tower. To help prevent you from becoming a victim, we’re sharing a true story about one such incident. Names have been changed to pseudonyms for privacy. 

Please remember that Tower will never ask for your Digital Banking login, card numbers, PINs, passwords or security codes. If you are not sure a message or call is legitimate, do not reply. Call us at 866-56-TOWER.

Emily didn’t initially suspect anything when Tower’s fraud department called—usually she ignores calls from unknown numbers. Seeing Tower’s actual number (301-497-7000) on her caller ID, however, made her think it was legit.

The caller said she had charges from Walmart, Amazon, and another merchant, all based from Texas, and asked if she authorized them. Emily confirmed they weren’t hers. The caller then said they’d block her card and send a replacement. 

The caller pushed for more details, including her Digital Banking login, her entire debit card number, the last four digits of her Social Security number, and the approximate balance in her account prior to the charges.

When Emily expressed concern about giving this information over the phone, the caller began to sound irritated and quickly became abrupt. He warned that Tower would hold her liable for all charges if she didn’t take action to resolve the pending charges that night. 

Fortunately, Emily was uncomfortable with the call. She hung up and called Tower directly to report the case. Tower reviewed her account and canceled any fraudulent charges.

• Fraud Prevention Tip 1: Always pause before sharing personal data via text or voice calls you did not initiate, even if the caller ID reads “Tower Federal Credit Union.” If you receive a call and/or a text message from Tower’s phone number, and you are suspicious or concerned by information being asked of you, please hang up and call our phone number directly to confirm the call: 866-56-TOWER.
• Fraud Prevention Tip 2: Sign up for real-time alerts and notifications to monitor your account activity, and real-time card alerts and controls for quick notifications of potential fraudulent card activity. 

Remember, we will never ask you for:

• Your debit or credit card numbers or PIN
• Your card security code (CVV)
• Your Social Security number
• Your login credentials for Digital Banking
• Your authentication codes