Protect Yourself Against Fraud
We do everything we can to ensure a secure Internet banking experience, but you can also play an important role in preventing would-be thieves from gaining access to your accounts and personal information. We recommend the following precautions:
Ignore unsolicited phone calls, emails and texts that request personal, account or credit/debit card information. Don’t be intimidated by aggressive communications that claim that there are dire consequences for not providing your personal information. UW Credit Union and other legitimate financial institutions will never ask you for your account information, password or PIN over the phone, email or text message. If you are unsure if a communication is legitimate or you fall victim to identity theft, contact us immediately.
Beware of phishing. Phishing can include emails that “spoof” or mimic those of legitimate banks and credit unions to mislead the recipient into “confirming” or submitting personal and/or financial information. Because it can be very difficult to identify these counterfeit emails, it is important to remember that UW Credit Union will never send an unsolicited email asking you to “confirm” or “update” your password or account information. Never use forms that are embedded in the body of an email (even if the form appears legitimate). Immediately report any suspected phishing attempts: forward a copy of the suspected email to abuse@uwcu.org and call us to report the incident.
Don’t click on links in emails from people you don’t know. The same goes for any links that appear to be from a friend that look or sound suspicious. This may be an attempt to get your personal information or install a virus on your computer.
Monitor your account for accuracy. If your statement is late or does not arrive, contact us immediately. Use Web Branch to check your account regularly to verify withdrawals, deposits, payments and transactions. It’s also a good idea to sign up for Notifications about overdrafts or if your account reaches a particular balance.
Monitor your credit report. Free reports are available from each of the three credit reporting agencies annually. Review and confirm that all accounts listed are yours and that no unauthorized activity has taken place. Learn more about credit reports.
Update your operating system and Internet browser regularly. Keep your operating system and Internet browser up to date with the latest security patches and software updates.
Protect yourself with anti-virus software. Maintain anti-virus software on all systems used to access your accounts, and make sure that the anti-virus library files are up to date.
Choose passwords wisely and keep them confidential. Follow our suggestions for creating a strong password, and change it frequently to ensure others cannot guess it. Do not share your password with anybody, including UW Credit Union staff. We do not need to know your Web Branch password to help you with Web Branch or any of your accounts.
Make sure you’re logging onto an encrypted website. https:// will appear at the beginning of the website address (URL). Validate the authenticity of the SSL certificate by double-clicking the “lock” icon on your browser to view the certificate.
Log off and close your browser when you’re done. Click the “Log off” button to properly end your Web Branch session so no further transactions can be processed. Be sure to close your browser after logging off.
Mind your surroundings while using Web Branch. Make sure you’re not being watched while entering your Web Branch information, and never leave your computer unattended while logged onto your accounts.
Keep your contact information up to date. It is important we have your current daytime phone number, including your mobile phone number, in case we need to validate a transaction with you. You can update your information in Web Branch or call us.