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10/21/24

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Protecting Yourself from Common Cyber Hacks

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. As your trusted financial institution, we’re committed to providing you with the knowledge and tools to protect our members from everyday threats and common hacks that could impact your financial security. 

Understanding and staying alert are the first steps toward safeguarding your information. Here are some common hacks and ways you can protect yourself from these scams:

1. Imposter scams: Scammers often reach out via phone, email or text, pretending to be from your financial institution. They may request personal or account information, such as Social Security numbers, account numbers or login credentials. If anyone is requesting sensitive information you should always verify their identity. If you receive a suspicious request, contact us immediately at 973-361-5225.

2. Urgency scams: Scammers use urgency to pressure individuals into providing personal or financial information. They call and offer a deal that seems too good to be true and their tone is urgent! They want to steal your personal or financial information by asking you to create an account, verify a password, or provide sensitive information. In this situation it’s important to take a step back and verify the offer before providing any information. Remember, we will never pressure members into providing sensitive information.

3. Phishing scams: These types of scams are often in the form of emails or messages, asking you to authorize a transaction or update your account information. The goal is to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers. To protect yourself, always look for spelling and grammatical errors in the message and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. If you receive a suspicious email or text claiming to be PFCU, contact us to confirm its legitimacy. 

4. Credential Stuffing: This attack occurs when cybercriminals use stolen username and password combinations to gain unauthorized access to multiple accounts because many people reuse passwords across various websites. To protect yourself, use unique, complex passwords for each of your accounts and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. Bonus tip: never write down your password; instead, write down helpful hints or tips to ensure you remember each unique password. 

Staying aware and alert is the key to preventing cyber threats. By understanding these common hacks and taking the correct actions to protect yourself, you can reduce your risk of falling victim to cybercrime. If something looks or sounds suspicious, it’s always best to reach out to PFCU for guidance!

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