Consumer Security & Fraud Alerts
Phone Number Spoofing: Scam Calls Spoofing PFSL on Caller ID
There has been a recent increase in phone number spoofing. Someone might call or text you, claiming they are from Pioneer Federal Savings & Loan, your caller ID might even display one of Pioneer Federal’s phone numbers. But here’s what to watch out for: If the person starts asking for personal or account information, ITS A SCAM. We have had multiple customers report receiving calls from numbers that appear to be Pioneer Federal and the personal calling (that they don’t recognize) asks for personal information and are scammers. We are aware of this scam going around and we are seeing if there is anything we are able to do to prevent this from happening. But if you are ever suspicious about a call you receive from what appeared and someone stating to be from Pioneer Federal, do not hesitate to hang up and call us directly or come in to one of the branches to confirm that the call was legitimate.
What is phone number spoofing?
Phone spoofing happens when a scammer tricks your phone’s caller ID into showing an official phone number, like your Bank. The fraudster will call or text, pretending to be a Bank employee, and try to trick you into giving out personal information. To make things even trickier, the imposter might sound convincing and use the name of a person who really works at the bank. They might know some partial information you thought was private, like your email address or the first 6-8 digits of your debt card (which are more common). They may even claim they’re about to close your account, or shut off your card due to fraud, unless you give up more information. A bank would never be that drastic, especially for not providing more information and usually the information they the imposter is asking you to provide is information the bank already has. Don’t fall for it.
How to tell if a phone number is spoofed:
Think about the information the caller is asking for, does it seem like normal things PFSL would be calling about? Are they asking you questions about information that they already have? Remember these things so you don’t fall for a scam:
1.) Pioneer Federal will never call and ask for your personal information.
We will never call our customers unprompted and ask them for personal information we already have. If you did not prompt the call, you should never:
- Account Number
- Social Security Number
- Login passwords or usernames
- Debit Card Numbers, PIN or expiration date
- Any other personal information
2.) Don’t Trust Caller ID
Scammers can make it look like they’re calling from anywhere, even from Pioneer Federal Savings & Loan.
3.) Suspicious? Hang Up.
If you have any doubt or suspicion, verify the call by hanging up and contacting Pioneer Federal Savings & Loan directly either by calling or come into one of the branches.
Pioneer Federal Debit Card Scam Alert!
A recent debit card scam is making its way around our community; it starts with a call from either an unknown or unfamiliar number, then a recording begins to inform you that your debit card has been compromised and in order to unlock the card it prompts you to verify the information by dialing the number one. After entering one it asks you to enter your card information, i.e.; card number, expiration date, and name. Please DO NOT enter any of your debit card information. We encourage you to hang up and notify the local law enforcement and your financial institution.
If your debit card was in fact compromised or under inspection, an employee from our financial institution would call you from one of our office numbers, 406-846-2202, 406-683-5191 or 1-800-452-6904.
Home Warranty Scam Alert!
It has been brought to our attention that there has been recent “Home Warranty” expiring notice in the mail claiming to be urgent and asking for immediate action or response, these items are a scam. Most of these mailings will state that it’s a “FINAL NOTICE” regarding your Home Warranty expiring and will name “Pioneer FSLA” or “Pioneer Fed’L S&L” as who secures your loan to try to make you think its a legitimate letter. The newest letter we’ve been getting notified about was a letter from “Home Warranty Direct” that has the top portion of the letter designed to look like a check to try to draw you in but states right under it that “Not all consumers have pervious coverage. We are not affiliated with your current mortgage holder. THIS IS NOT A CHECK.” We have also seen others saying they are from “Trinity Home Advisors (THA)”. If you receive anything in the mail similar to anything mentioned and you do not have a Home Warranty be sure not to give them ANY of your information or send them any money. Or if you are unsure if something is legitimate that you received regarding your mortgage do not hesitate to reach out to your local branch about it or stop by and have someone at the branch take a look at.
IRS Impersonation Scam!
An IRS impersonation scam has recently been identified; it can be wither a phone call or an email stating that a past tax return has an issue and you owe money. You will be threatened with tax fraud charges and that a warrant will be issued, and you will be arrested if the fines aren’t paid. You will then be instructed to pay your fines with prepaid debit cards, MoneyGram or a combination of the two.
Elder Frauds
Thieves sometimes target older adults to try to cheat them out of some of their life savings. For example, telemarketing scams may involve sales of bogus products and services that will never be delivered. Warning signs include unsolicited phone calls asking for a large amount of money before receiving the goods or services, and special offers for senior citizens that seem too good to be true, like an investment “guaranteeing” a very high return. To help seniors and their caregivers avoid financial exploitation, the FDIC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have developed Money Smart for Older Adults, a curriculum with information and resources.
“Phishing” emails
Scam artists send emails pretending to be from banks, popular merchants or other known entities, and they ask for personal information such as bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other valuable details. The emails usually look legitimate because they include graphics copied from authentic websites and messages that appear valid.
“We have also seen emails with links to fake websites that are exact copies of real websites for FDIC-insured banks, except the web addresses are slightly different than the real ones,” said Doreen Eberley, director of the FDIC’s Division of Risk Management Supervision, which is in charge of the agency’s policies and programs related to financial crimes. “These sites are used to trick people into giving up valuable personal information that can be used to commit identity theft.”
Text Scams
FedEx is warning consumers not to fall for a new scam that tries to trick them into opening a text or an email about the status of a delivery.
Additional Information & Resources
How to Avoid a Scam: Recognizing these common signs of a scam could help you avoid falling for one CLICK HERE to learn more.
What to do if you were Scammed: Find out the steps you can take if you were scammed, CLICK HERE
Report Fraud: Help the Federal Trade Commission stop the scammers and Report Fraud, Scams, and Bad Business Practices CLICK HERE
For additional information or to report a scam visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Scam website at consumer.ftc.gov/scams
