Scammers may be spoofing First Choice phone numbers and asking members to withdraw or move money. Please read this important alert.
Important Fraud Alert for First Choice Members
Dear First Choice Member,
First Choice Federal Credit Union has been made aware of a scam currently targeting some of our members.
The scammer may contact members by phone or text while pretending to be from First Choice. In some reported cases, the scammer has claimed that Walmart charges, or charges from another retailer, have been blocked on the member’s account. The scammer may then tell a longer story, including false claims about an employee being fired, and may instruct the member to withdraw cash, move funds, or open a new account at another financial institution.
This is a scam.
One of the most concerning parts of this situation is that the caller ID may appear to show a First Choice phone number. This is known as caller ID spoofing. Scammers can manipulate caller ID information to make it look like a call is coming from a trusted organization, even when it is not. Caller ID alone should never be used as proof that a call is legitimate. The FCC warns consumers that spoofed caller ID is commonly used to disguise scam calls.
Please remember:
- First Choice will never ask you to withdraw cash because of a fraud alert.
- First Choice will never instruct you to move your money to another financial institution.
- First Choice will never tell you to open a new account somewhere else.
- First Choice will never ask for your online banking password, debit card PIN, full account number, Social Security number, or one-time security code by phone or text.
If someone contacts you claiming to be from First Choice and asks you to take urgent financial action, stop communication immediately.
What You Should Do
If you receive a suspicious call:
Hang up immediately. Do not press any buttons. Do not follow instructions. Do not share any personal, financial, account, card, or login information.
If you receive a suspicious text:
Do not reply. Do not click any links. Do not call any number provided in the message.
Then, contact First Choice directly using one of our official branch numbers:
- Union: (724) 652-8393
- Neshannock: (724) 652-8070
- Butler Ave. / New Castle: (724) 656-3595
The FCC recommends that if a caller claims to represent a company or agency, you should hang up and call back using an official phone number, not the number provided by the caller or text message.
Do Not Panic
There is no reason to come to a branch to withdraw your funds because of one of these calls. There is no reason to move your money into a different account or open a new account elsewhere.
Scammers often create urgency because they want you to act quickly before you have time to think, verify, or ask questions. If something feels suspicious, slow down, end the communication, and call First Choice directly.
If You Shared Information
If you believe you shared personal information, account information, card information, online banking credentials, or a security code with the scammer, please contact First Choice immediately. The sooner we know what happened, the better we can help you take the appropriate next steps.
Your security is important to us. First Choice will continue to monitor this situation and assist members who may have been contacted.
When in doubt, remember:
Hang up. Do not reply. Do not move money. Call First Choice directly.
Sincerely,
First Choice Federal Credit Union