Fake Caller ID Numbers:

In a new phishing scam, con artists are using phony caller ID numbers to solicit personal information and money.  Thanks to phony caller IDs, the "spoofers" are able to convince victims that they're receiving a call from a bank, credit union or credit card company.  The scammers use this technique to acquire sensitive personal and financial information, or even money, from their victims.

The frightening aspect of this scam is that few people would ever think that the names and phone numbers appearing on their caller ID screens were not genuine.  However, scammers are already using phony caller IDs and are posing as representatives of credit unions, credit card companies and government agencies. 

Unfortunately, anyone with internet access and a few dollars can find a number of legal online services that supply fake caller ID numbers.  ScamBusters.org reports that in just a few minutes of research revealed several services that tout the "benefits" of caller spoofing, including:

• Maintaining the privacy of your caller ID number

• Changing your voice to sound like a male or female

• Fooling friends and business associates

• One firm claims its technology is suited to individuals in certain law enforcement related professions, while another advertises its services as inexpensive, easy to use, and great for "business or fun".

How to protect yourself:

• Do not assume that the information displayed on your phone, regarding who the caller is, is accurate.  It can easily be spoofed.

• Never give out personal or financial information over the telephone unless you know EXACTLY whom you are dealing with

• If you have doubts about who is on the phone, call back the financial institution or credit card company with the phone number from a phone book, etc.

• If you become a victim of phishing, call the credit union right away.  We can help you stop this process immediately.

For more on other phishing scams, click here.

When you use the Arcadia Credit Union website, you can be sure you are on the Credit Union's website by looking in the address bar in Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.  You will see either www.arcadiacu.com  or https://asp.datamatic.net as the prefix of the web address.  Either of these two prefixes means that you are on the Arcadia Credit Union web site.  Any other prefixes in the address bar are fraudulent. 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 1-800-325-2126.