Patelco Fraud Center
Learn how to avoid the latest scams, keep your accounts safe, and get help from Patelco.
Learn how to avoid the latest scams, keep your accounts safe, and get help from Patelco.
Contact us first before you give away personal information or money – we’ll help you figure out if it’s a scam.
To protect yourself, it’s important to be familiar with trending scams.
Scammers may be impersonating Patelco. Here’s how to verify if it was Patelco contacting you.
At Patelco, we’ll be with you on every step of your financial journey, including when you’re a victim of fraud. Contact us immediately if you suspect fraud on your account(s), or if you responded to a suspicious email, text message or phone call.
Fraudsters can tap into your emotions or try to catch you off guard.
Here are 5 red flags to watch out for based on Patelco’s fraud monitoring.
If you answer “yes” to any of these, you may be the target of a scam. Don’t click on any links or share any information with the person contacting you.
If you’ve lost money to a scam, contact us as soon as possible to see if we can place protection on your account and try to recover funds.
Want to learn even more about common red flags and protecting yourself from fraud? Download Patelco’s fraud booklet here. We even have a version tailored with information for older people. Click here to download a copy.
1. Were you asked to hide information from or lie to Patelco or your other financial institution(s)?
2. Were you asked for your login credentials to Online Banking or another account?
3. Were you contacted by someone out of the blue and pressured to wire them money?
4. Does this transaction involve a foreign country, territory, or state where you don’t have contacts or connections?
5. Were you “overpaid” or “over reimbursed” for something and are now being asked to send the “extra” money back?
File a claim immediately using our online claims center by logging into Patelco Online™. See other details here.
It’s important to act quickly and to report it to the authorities. Read our tips for how to be proactive.
We’re here to guide and support you if you notice account activity that’s not yours. Contact us immediately.
Here’s what you can do to act fast and recover if you’ve been a victim of identity theft.
Watch our video to the right to learn how you can protect your identity and finances by following three simple steps.
Always stay vigilant when it comes to scams, whether it’s a person or a business you’re dealing with over the phone, mail, email, in-person, or on social media – especially if you didn’t reach out to them first.
Be on alert if you encounter:
Cybercrimes are surging with scammers trying to take control of your identity and money online or through mobile. Read more about staying cyber safe here.
Additionally, one of the best ways to stay cyber safe is to keep your devices (computer, tablet, and phone) and software updated. Updates frequently add security enhancements and protect from vulnerabilities.
With people using the internet to pretty much do everything, online scams are on the rise. Read more about the top internet scams here.
As text messaging becomes more prevalent around the world, text message scams are also becoming more common. Read more about text message, or “smishing,” scams here.
All sorts of financial services are available to help you manage your finances, and many will require you to share your data with them. Learn more about how data sharing works, what you should consider when asked to share your data, and how to protect your data and accounts. Read more about sharing data on financial apps here.
Cyber criminals are actively using social media platforms to scam users out of money and gain access to personal information. Be on the lookout for online dating hoaxes, imposters posing as friends, fake online store fronts and bogus investments. Read more about social media scams here.
In 2021, over 92,000 victims over the age of 60 reported losses of $1.7 billion to the IC3. This represents a 74 percent increase in losses over losses reported in 2020.1 The top scams targeting are government impersonation scams, sweepstakes and lottery scams, robocalls and phone scams, computer tech support scams, and grandparent scams. Read more about fraud against elders here.
We’re here to help you figure out if it’s a scam before you give out any personal information or transfer money. Call us at 800.358.8228 and enter extension 5323 to talk with a specialist. You can also schedule an appointment with our Fraud Experience Team (for the type of appointment, select FRAUD CONSULTATION).
Don’t be fooled by a scammer. Look for these warning signs to identify a possible scam and protect yourself!
It’s easy to become a victim of fraud as a college or graduate student. Find out about the top student scams and how to avoid them.
What is identity theft and why is it important to protect yourself? Find out how to prevent identity theft from the experts at Patelco.
Want to learn more about fraud and how to protect yourself from the most recent scams?
Discover the additional resources that Patelco has put together for its members.
1 2021 FBI Elder Fraud Report
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