Fraud Awareness
Your safety is our top priority. We use industry-leading technology and processes to keep your personal and financial information secure.
Fraud and Scam Prevention
Minimizing the risk of fraud and scams is a cooperative effort between Magnifi Financial and our membership that starts with understanding the various kinds of fraud and scams that can threaten you. Review the information to learn how to identify a fraud or scam, how to protect your personal and account information, and how to report it if you have become a victim of fraud.
What You Can Do To Protect Yourself
- We always encourage members to take extra caution when it comes to protecting their identity. DO NOT give out your personal or account information to anyone if you feel unsure of the communication.
- If you are suspicious, hang up and call Magnifi Financial directly at (888) 330-8482.
- Create strong, unique user ID and passwords and do not reuse them on multiple sites.
- Monitoring your accounts frequently in Digital Banking allows you to act quickly if you suspect fraud on your account.
- Set up account alerts via text or email based on what is important to you (direct deposit, low balance, transaction withdrawals, etc.) Log into Digital Banking and click 'eAlerts.'
- Use mobile payment options like Digital Wallets to make your purchasing experience easier, simpler, and more secure. Digital wallets shield your card number from fraud.
- Stay safe and go paperless. Set up direct deposit for paychecks, government checks, or pensions, so you don't have to worry about lost or stolen checks. Sign up for eStatements in Digital Banking.
Potential Red Flags
- Fraudsters can copy phone numbers, like Magnifi Financial's 888 number. Even though it may appear that Magnifi Financial is calling or texting, do not provide any personal or account information. If you receive suspicious text or email from Magnifi Financial, do NOT click the links.
- If a company asks for payment methods not previously used (gift cards, money orders, wire transfers, Zelle/CashApp/PayPal/Venmo, or cryptocurrency, which is very unusual, it is likely a scam. Please hang up or do not click on any links.
- Offers or opportunities that are too good to be true.
- A person is pressuring you to respond quickly.
- Spelling and grammar errors in communication.
- Unsolicited remote access requests from unknown individuals or companies to your computer or devices.
- Unexpected changes to account information (address, phone number, or email).
- Notification of password changes or login in attempts that you did not initiate.
- Sudden or unusual account activity (large withdrawals or purchases).
- Unsolicited calls or emails claiming to be from your financial institution, government agency, or other organizations.
What Magnifi Does
- We will NEVER contact you by phone, email, or through social media channels to solicit confidential, personal, and/or account information. This includes Digital Banking credentials, personal identification numbers, one-time passwords, secure access codes, or full debit or credit card information (16-digit number, expiration date, CVV number).
- We use robust security technologies and processes to protect your financial and personal information. Behind the scenes, our Information Technology department ensures we have the latest technology to safeguard your data and monitor your accounts for unusual activity.
- We use two-factor authentication for an added layer of protection when you log in to your Magnifi accounts.
- Magnifi credit and debit cards have EMV smart chips, which are the global standard for card security. Magnifi cards also feature contactless technology; simply tap to pay at checkout for an added layer of protection against fraud.
- Magnifi credit and debit cards are compatible with Digital Wallets like Apple® and Google Pay®, which use tokenization to provide additional security.
- We offer convenient controls for your cards. If you need to temporarily disable your card, report it lost or stolen, or add travel notifications, we've got you covered with Card Services.
- Monitor your credit report for unauthorized credit activity with My Credit Score. It helps you stay on top of your credit score with daily updates, full credit reports, and more.
Check out our Online
and Mobile security tips for additional tips to keep your
personal and financial information secure.
Fraud Resource
Library
Common Types Of Fraud
(Expand to read more)
Government Imposter Scams
Scammers will pretend to be government officials to get you to send them money. They may promise lottery winnings if you pay "taxes" or other fees, or they might threaten a arrest or a lawsuit or jail if you don't pay supposed debts. Do not send money. Government agencies and Federal Employees do not ask for money for prizes or unpaid loans. They are not permitted to ask you to wire money or add money to a prepaid debit card.
These scammers will use a variety of tricks and lies to get your attention. They may even have your name, address and social security number.
Protect Yourself:
- Never wire money
- Don't pay for a prize
- Don't give the caller your personal information or confirm your personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security number or bank accounts.
- Put your number on the national Do Not Call Registry. Register your phone number at donotcall.gov.
Phishing (Email Fraud)
Phishing is an internet scam in which email spam or pop-up messages are used to deceive you into divulging personal or financial information over the internet. Phishers will send you an email or a pop-up message that appears to be from a company that you deal with – your credit card company, credit union, or a government agency. The message usually requests that you update or validate account information, and it will direct you to a website that looks just like the legitimate organization's website, but it isn't. The purpose of the bogus website is to deceive you into entering your personal information so the scammers can steal your identity and commit crimes in your name.
Protect yourself:
- Don’t click on links in emails that ask for personal information. Legitimate companies don't ask for personal information via email.
- Never open unexpected attachments.
- Don't cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser — phishers can make links look like they go to one place, but that actually sends you to a different site.
- Delete suspicious messages, even if you know the source
Vishing (Phone Call Fraud/Robocalls)
Vishing is a scam where criminals persuade victims to hand over personal details or transfer money over the telephone. They may use "spoofing," where the phone number looks like it's coming from a company that you deal with. They may already have some of your personal information that you would expect a genuine caller to have.
Protect yourself:
- Never give your personal or financial information over the phone. If you feel a call is suspicious, hang up and call the company directly to verify the authenticity of the call.
- Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry.
Smishing (Text Message Fraud)
Smishing uses text messages or SMS to persuade victims to provide personal or financial information. They may use URL's or an automated voice response system to collect your information.
Protect Yourself:
- Never provide personal or account information like your digital banking password or debit/credit card CVV or PIN.
- Do NOT reply to the message, click any link, or dial any phone number listed in the message.
- Delete unsolicited text messages from your phone.
Data Breach
A data breach occurs when your information is stolen or accidentally left vulnerable to theft, enabling thieves to steal your identity. You may read about a data breach in the news or receive a notice from your financial institution or a retail store saying that your data has been compromised. A data breach can result from computer hacking, computer virus, the physical theft of documents or computer equipment, or by accident (such as emailing information to the wrong address). Companies and government departments are required to notify you once they discover a breach.
If you suspect or have been notified that your information has been compromised due to a data breach, determine what information was stolen.
Password - If it is an online account that has been breached, change the password on the account immediately. If the same password is used on other accounts, change those too.
Email Address - If it was an email address, watch your inbox for messages requesting information or requesting you to click on a link. If you receive a suspicious email from a company you do business with, call the sender to verify that they did indeed send it.
Credit Card Number - If a payment card number has been stolen, contact
the financial institution that issued the card and explain that the card is at risk of
fraud. Ask them to issue a new card with a new number.
Social Security
Number - Contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies and have
them place a fraud alert on your account. That agency will then be legally bound to
notify the other two agencies to do the same. An alert lets lenders know to take extra
care verifying personal information before issuing credit and entitles you to a
complimentary credit report from each agency. Review this for suspicious activity. A
fraud alert is free and can be renewed every 90 days.
Text Message Fraud
Learn how to identify and protect yourself from fraudulent text messages.
Learn More
Identity Theft
Protect yourself from identity theft and learn what to do if you become a victim.
Learn More
Fraud Reporting Resources for Magnifi Financial Members
Falcon Fraud
Monitoring
Magnifi Financial partners with Falcon Fraud to deliver additional security to all cardholders. Falcon Fraud provides world-class, award-winning technology to detect and prevent fraud on card transactions. With this powerful service, fraudulent activity can be prevented before the cardholder even knows that it is happening. Here are the phone numbers you may be contacted through by Falcon Fraud:
Phone: (800) 624-7491
SMS Text Messages: 23618
If any suspicious activity happens to occur, Falcon Fraud will immediately contact you to verify or deny the suspicious charge. By utilizing Falcon Fraud, the risk of credit and debit card fraud is greatly reduced for all Magnifi Financial cardholders.
Please note: You will be asked to verify your identity by providing the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number and the zip code on your account associated with the debit or credit card in question.
Falcon SMS/Text Alerts are only sent between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. in the local cardholder’s time zone.
Visa Debit and Credit
Card Disputes
Magnifi Financial partners with Visa for debit card and credit card transaction disputes. Their dispute experts are available 24/7 and will walk through opening and completing a claim for your situation.
Please note: You will be asked to verify your identity by providing your name, card number, the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number associated with the debit or credit card in question.
Phone: (844) 201-8332
Purchase Alerts
Purchase Alerts from Magnifi Financial powered by Visa help you reduce fraud and monitor your spending anytime, anywhere. With near real-time alerts, you can receive updates on your Visa card activity through text messages and email. This allows you to act quickly to reduce fraud and monitor your account – wherever you are. The unique service is available free for Magnifi Financial Visa cardholders! To sign up for Purchase Alerts from Magnifi Financial, simply click on “Check Eligibility” on the Visa Purchase Alerts page.
*Actual time to receive Alert dependent on wireless service and coverage within the area. Alerts service may not be available in all areas. Gasoline alerts may not include the purchase amount. Account activity qualifying for Alert service may vary by issuer. Additional restrictions apply.
Digital Wallet and
Digital Payments
Using digital payment services such as Apple® and Google Pay® is simple, and it works
with the devices you use every day. Your card information is secure because it isn’t
stored on your device or shared when you pay. Paying in stores, apps, and on the web has
never been easier, safer, or more private.
Apple Pay®, iPhone®, Apple Watch®,
iPad®, and the Apple Pay® logo are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Pay® and
the Google Pay® logo are registered trademarks of Google LLC.
Update Account
Info
By ensuring your contact information is updated, Magnifi Financial is able to contact you in case of any fraudulent activity on your accounts. Please take the time to review your contact information by logging in to your Digital Banking account. In the blue menu on the left, click on "Preferences" then "Profile."
If you need to change your information, you can click on "Address Change" and submit your new information. You can also work with one of our friendly staff members to ensure your contact information is correct.
5 First, let’s cover the basics...
File a Complaint
If you are a victim of an internet crime contact us immediately. Then, report the crime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Report A Scam
If you have received an email, phone call or text from an imposter, file a complaint at the FTC Federal Complaint Assistant.
Join the Magnifi Family!
At Magnifi, you're not just a member-owner of an award-winning credit union, you become part of the Magnifi family and receive all the benefits and perks you need to succeed financially.