Protect Yourself From Zelle Fraud Scams

Recently, we have seen an uptick in Seattle Credit Union members falling victim to financial scams, specifically via Zelle® transactions. For example, fraudsters impersonate a Seattle Credit Union representative and con the user into using Zelle® to transfer funds to themselves. While they claim the money will replace funds stolen from the user’s account, the Zelle® transfer actually goes to the fraudsters. 

To protect yourself from scams, here are some reminders of how to keep your money and information secure. 

Do not give out any password or one-time pass codes. 

Seattle Credit Union will never reach out to you by phone, text or email to ask for information you received via text (SMS) or pressure you to reset your online banking password. 

Some other tips to keep your accounts safe: 

• Refunds are not issued through Zelle®. If somebody calls you and offers a refund via Zelle®, hang up the phone and contact us. 
• Don’t trust caller ID. Caller ID may be modified to show your financial institution’s name. 
• Don’t give information over the phone if you receive a call stating that a transaction is canceled, even if the caller claims to be from your financial institution. 
• Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails or texts. 
• Don’t give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer. 
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  
• Trust your gut and if you have a bad feeling, do not proceed.  
• If you are asked to deposit a check or money order before wiring funds, it is likely a scam.  

If you ever receive suspicious communication or are unsure whether something is a fraud attempt, please contact us at 206.398.5500 so we can investigate further. 

To learn more about common scams and how to guard against them, visit seattlecu.com/fraud-prevention or check out The Science Behind Scams by Vox and Zelle.

* Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.