First there was “phishing,” where potential thieves would try to get your personal information by sending you a fake e-mail claiming to be from a legitimate financial institution or company, like PayPal. Now scam artists have come up with a similar ruse, known as “vishing,” which is basically phishing by phone.
Vishing scams come in two varieties. The first is conducted solely by phone. A consumer is called, usually by an automated dialer, and told that the privacy of their credit card or bank account has been compromised. They are then told to call back a certain number immediately to “verify” their information.
The second type of vishing is just like the first, except that the intended victim gets an e-mail instead of a call. The message is like that of a phishing e-mail, but instead of clicking on a link, the person is asked to call a certain number.
Either way, when the consumer calls the number, they reach an automated voice response system that asks the consumer to enter things like their account number, password, birth date, and Social Security number. As the unsuspecting consumer enters the information on their keypad, the crook records their keystrokes.
If you are unsure of any call you receive from JHFCU, simply ask for their name and say that you will call them back at the JHFCU office.