Fraud & Security

Please contact Avenir Financial to report fraud or suspicious activity on your accounts.

Our highest priority is protecting your accounts and personal information. Below are some helpful tips to help members confidently spot a scam, ignore fake messages, and report unusual activity before it leads to costly financial scams.

Sensitive information

Knowing what your bank will never ask is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect yourself from scams. Sensitive information includes:

• Full bank account numbers
• Full credit card and CVV account numbers
• Passwords or PIN
• Social Security Numbers
• Unpublished personal information

How we contact you.

We will never contact members by phone, text, social media, message sites, or email to request sensitive account or personal information. Scammers actively "spoof" the credit union's name and phone number on mobile devices to trick members into answering and providing financial information. Avenir Financial will never call for this information. We will always ask members to call us on our highly secure communications and digital platforms to protect sensitive information. 

Application "fees" from others.

Avenir Financial is not affiliated with any third-party financial service companies who will charge a fee to start a loan application. If someone other than Avenir Financial claims they can “help you” get a loan or other services from Avenir Financial "for a fee," they’re charging you for something that’s completely free at any of our branches. Non-members and members are invited to call or make an appointment at any branch with our helpful Member Services Representatives to start an application.

We will never pressure you.

Scammers often pose as bank employees, law enforcement or government agencies, creating fake emergencies to pressure you to reveal your credentials. Whether they say there’s unusual activity, threaten to close an account, an emergency related to family or business, or urgent account access needed, do not give them your information.

Gift cards and lotteries.

No legitimate bank will ever ask you to purchase gift cards or send lottery winnings. Scammers often pressure victims to buy gift cards from retail stores or consumer websites, especially during holidays. Then, they share the codes over the phone, email, or direct you to external websites that mimic real payment portals like Amazon in an attempt to collect your personal and financial data. If someone asks you to pay with anything other than traditional banking methods, end the conversation and contact us immediately.

Payment apps and social media.

Payment apps and social media sites are the prime channel for phishing scams, fake websites, and unsolicited requests from scam accounts pretending to be legitimate businesses. Scammers pose as financial institutions or payment apps, sending friend requests, and initiating conversations that appear helpful—until they are able to get personal details. Avenir Financial will never use a direct message or link to ask for your bank information, personal identification, or respond to requests for money.

Transferring money.

Scammers may call, text, message or email, claiming to be from a financial institution's fraud department, telling you to make an instant money transfer to “secure” your funds or some other fake scenario. Nor will we deposit funds from another account or credit line without notifying you. We will never ask you to move money between accounts or send funds to another person as a way to stop unauthorized transactions or prevent identity theft. These claims initiated by a scammer are designed to get you to share sensitive information. End all communication immediately and contact us for assistance.

Remote access to devices.

If someone claiming to be from a financial institution, company, government entity or law enforcement agency asks to gain remote access to your mobile device, computer, or tablet—end the communication immediately and report the incident. This tactic is often used by a scammer to install malicious software or steal sensitive information. Avenir Financial will never ask for remote access to your device. 

How to identify and report fraud.

Protect yourself and loved ones from financial loss by learning about current types of scams, identity theft and how to report fraud. Members can also obtain a free credit report annually to review any suspicious activity.

Types of Scams Typos de Estafas Free Credit Report