As of July 1, the changes to the courtesy pay transfers and fee refunds went into effect. There is new scripting provided, how to determine what a member has opted into for courtesy pay and the guidelines for fee refunds. Be sure to check out the full updated procedures for all the details. 

Recap of Changes: Courtesy Pay Transfer and Fee Refunds (sharepoint.com) 

Scams are on the rise where members are being coached to go to the local branch of their financial institution to get a cashier’s check. These checks are typically for large dollar amounts and members will typically state that the purpose of the check is to pay for a house remodel, contractor or they are sending funds to a friend or family member. When the member is asked further questions, they may not answer, or they may change their story. 

What to look for: 

• The member is vague on what they need the cashier’s check for, or the reason doesn’t make sense. 

• If an address is given, it is typically out of state (for example, FL, CT, NY). 

• It’s uncommon for the member to purchase cashier’s checks and ask how they work. 

• Member has a large recent deposit into their account (wire, ACH, cash).  

• Alerts from SRM noting previous abnormal behaviors are present at the account or person level. 

Next Steps: 

• Ask additional direct, open-ended questions to determine the purpose of the activity and if the request makes sense. 

• Empathize with the member. Showing empathy can help the dialogue with the member that Centris is their trusted financial partner, and we are looking to protect them and their funds.  

• Ask the member if they know the person they are sending the check to. 

• Explain to the member that cashier’s checks are guaranteed funds, like cash. Once the check has been sent or given to the recipient it cannot be stopped or disputed.  

• Ask a manager or SRM fraud analyst for assistance. This can be another line of communication to ask the member further questions before completing the transaction.  

Centris members are not the only financial members experiencing impersonations through call centers. Fraudsters are leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create audio and video to appear as if they are the real member. This technique is called DeepFakes. DeepFakes can be extremely difficult to detect, so it is important to pause before acting if there are concerns with the verification. Leveraging some best practices listed below can help protect against these types of impersonations.  

What to look for: 

• Do not assume a phone call is genuine. Member phone numbers can also be spoofed. 

• The caller is being pushy, muffled or is hard to hear. 

• The call is coming in from a different number than what we have on file and does not appear to be local. 

• The caller is having a hard time getting through validation, there are pauses after each verification question or they are asking to repeat the questions creating a delay so they can try to get or find the answer. 

If there are any red flags present, be sure to ask the caller additional questions to help protect the member and the account. Keep the conversation light and try to understand the true need. If it appears this might be an impersonation, please note the account, document it in an interaction, follow the below procedure and send a Member Protection Opportunity to SRM for further investigation.  

Failed Verification Procedures.pdf (sharepoint.com)  

Our law enforcement partners have shared with local financials that there has been an increase in casings and robberies in the Omaha Metro area. Multiple groups that are targeting financials are not local and are traveling from southern states in vehicles that have dark tinted windows and appear to be rental cars. Your safety is Centris’ number one concern. Check out some of the tips from law enforcement below. If you have additional questions about Centris’ processes talk to your manager and review the Robbery Packet. If you need to report anything, reach out to Blake Grooters. 

 Some things to remember: 

• Review activity occurring around the branch before opening and closing. 

• Monitor vehicles driving around the branch but not conducting business. 

• Monitor individuals coming into the branch but not conducting business. 

• Take note of a member or non-member approaching staff asking unusual questions about hours, staffing, locked doors, etc. 

• Monitor individuals with clothing that does not match the weather outside. 

Robbery Packet.docx (sharepoint.com)