Member Protection Center
Knowledge is your best defense against fraud. Our Member Protection Center empowers you with the tools and information you need to recognize scams, protect your accounts, and act quickly if needed.
The Latest in Fraud Protection
Protect Your Money: A Quick Guide to Wire Transfer Safety
Wire transfers are a safe, convenient way to move money quickly ā especially for major purchases like a car or a down payment for a home. But because wires send funds instantly, scammers often try to take advantage. Once the money is sent, itās usually gone for good.
Four Common Wire Fraud Scams to Watch Out For
Scammers are constantly evolving, but their tactics often fall into these familiar traps. Be on alert for these four common scenarios:
Business Email Compromise (BEC)
Scammers impersonate a business or real estate agent by using a fake email address that looks legitimate. Theyāll send āupdatedā wire instructions, claiming an account change, and direct your funds straight into their own pocket.
Fake Sales and Online Listings
Fraudsters post online ads for cars, boats, or equipment they donāt actually own. They ask for a wire transfer for payment, and the moment you send the money, the āsellerā vanishes, and the item never existed.
Investment Scams
Scammers pose as investment advisors, promising guaranteed, high returns, often pushing crypto or āexclusiveā opportunities. They may show fake returns before disappearing with your funds.
Romance Scams
A scammer builds an online relationship with you over weeks or months. Once theyāve established your trust, they claim to need money urgently for an emergency or business deal. Once you wire the funds, they disappear.
How to Protect Yourself from Wire Scams
Verify before you send.
Always confirm wire instructions directly with a trusted contact ā especially if you receive notification of an update to the initial wire transfer instructions by email or text. Call the business or individual using a verified phone number from their official website or a trusted source, not the one in the message.
Resist the urgency.
Scammers create a sense of panic for you to act fast. Slow down and double-check every detail before sending funds.
Be skeptical of "too good to be true" offers.
Unrealistic prices, guaranteed investment returns, or promises of quick profits are red flags.
Secure your accounts.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication on your email and online banking.
Trust your instincts.
If something feels off, it probably is. Pause and confirm before you send a wire transfer. Talk to a trusted person in your life (family or friend) or ask someone like us, your financial institution, to look into the wire transfer.
What to Do If You've Been Scammed
If you think you may have sent money to a scammer, act quickly:
Contact your financial institution immediately.
Call or visit your nearest branch so they can attempt to recall the wire or limit further loss.
Report it to law enforcement.
File a report with your local police department.
Submit a complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Submit the complaint on IC3.gov.
Keep records.
Save all emails, texts, wire instructions, and receipts ā these can help investigators track the fraud.
The quicker you take action, the better chance your financial institution or our team of experts will be able to help. As a trusted lifelong financial partner, Centris is here to support you and give you the tools and resources to protect your hard-earned money. Call us right away at 402-334-7000. We’re here to help!
Fraud Awareness and Education
As your trusted financial partner, our responsibility is to educate members of our community about fraud and identity theft, and how to prevent it. Below is information to help you stay vigilant against fraudsters and scammers.
What are some common scams?
What is phishing, smishing, vishing?
How can I keep minors safe in a digital world?
How can I protect elders?
How do I protect my business?
How can I protect my identity?
A general rule of thumb to follow is if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Here are a few common types of scams to be aware of:
Phishing, smishing, and vishing are types of social engineering attacks designed to entice individuals to share sensitive personal information. The difference is in how individuals are targeted. Always verify the source of messages/calls, be skeptical of unsolicited messages/calls, and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all online accounts.
Today’s youth have grown up surrounded by computers, tablets, smartphones, the internet, and social media. Education is key when it comes to helping protect them while they are online. Here are some steps you can take to help ensure their safety:
- Teach them the importance and responsibility of keeping their login credentials and personal information confidential.
- Help them set their social media accounts to private.
- Let them know it’s OK to ignore texts or phone calls from unrecognized numbers and show them how to block these numbers.
- If they have a Centris VisaĀ® Debit Card, download the Centris Debit Card Companion App to create transaction alerts, set spending limits, lock and unlock their card, and more.
According to the FBI, millions of elderly Americans fall victim to some type of financial fraud or confidence scheme. To help prevent elderly financial abuse, it is important to closely monitor and manage their finances responsibly:
- Regularly check in with elderly people in your life.
- Encourage elderly individuals to stay connected with friends, family, and community groups.
- Screen caregivers, including background checks and references.
- Regularly review bank statements and financial records for suspicious activity.
- Report suspected abuse to Adult Protective Services.
Staying vigilant is crucial for protecting your company’s financial and operational integrity. Proactive strategies like regular risk assessments can help reduce your organization’s exposure to fraudulent activities. Below is a list of common business scams:
- Business Email Compromise
- Phony Invoices
- Overpayment Scam
- Directory Scam
- Charity Pitches Scam
- Phishing
Identity theft is a serious cybercrime where unauthorized individuals exploit personal information to conduct fraudulent financial transactions or activities. Identity theft can impact individuals across all demographics and financial backgrounds. Check out our blog article, How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft, for great tips on how to help prevent identity theft from happening to you or a loved one.
Proactively Prevent Fraud
Centris Federal Credit Union offers many ways to take control of you finances and proactively prevent fraud. Hover over each tile to learn more.
Online Banking Alerts
Debit Card Companion App
Monitor Credit Reports
Click here to download our informational flyer that provides more details on how to stay vigilant against fraudsters.
Steps to Take if You’ve Been Scammed
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Change your online banking username and password and don’t share it with anyone.
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If you downloaded anything from the scammer, have a professional or reputable antivirus program scan your device for malicious software.
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Monitor your credit report and dispute fraudulent charges on your account with your financial institution.
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Book an appointment with an expert at your financial institution.
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If you are a Centris VisaĀ® Debit Card holder, download the Centris Debit Card Companion App.
Protect Yourself at Crypto ATMs in Nebraska
Staying safe in the digital world is a team effort. That’s why we want to make you aware of a new Nebraska law that provides a clear path for consumers who are scammed at crypto ATMs located in Nebraska. If you’ve been a victim of fraud, this legislation allows you to seek a refund from the ATM owner, provided you follow the specific steps.
Click the button below to read the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance’s FAQs they put together on this law.
How will Centris contact me?
Phone
- Our Member Protection Team will reach out to a member if they believe there is risk of fraud on an account.
- We will never call and ask for sensitive personal information.
Secure Access Codes (SAC)
- SAC may be sent via text or phone call to authenticate your identity when logging into Centris online banking.
- You should never provide this code to anyone.
Debit Card
- VisaĀ® Fraud Protection (Debit Card): If the Visa team detects suspicious activity with your debit card, they will contact you via email, phone call, and/or text.
- Their communication will never include links and will not require your account information, such as PINs or card numbers.
Text Alerts
- If you’ve enrolled in alerts through Centris mobile banking or the Centris Debit Card Companion App, you may receive text and/or email alerts.
- For these alerts, we will never ask you to click a link or provide personal information including credentials.
- If you have a loan with Centris and missed a loan payment, you may get a reminder text regarding the payment from 402-315-2650. This text will include a link to make a payment. If you have any concerns or are unsure if the text is coming from Centris Federal Credit Union, you can find the ‘Make a Payment’ link on our homepage at www.centrisfcu.org.
- If you apply for a digital loan with Centris you may receive text communications regarding your loan status from 402-697-6665.
Credit Card
- If there is potentially fraudulent activity with your credit card, Elan will call the card holder.
- They will never ask you for your card’s CVV (three-digit code on the back of the card) or issue/expiration date.
The Rise of the Phantom Hacking Scam
The FBI is warning about a highly sophisticated new fraud called the Phantom Hacking Scam.
Scammers are impersonating your bank or credit union, frantically calling to tell you your account has been “hacked.” Their goal? To panic you into immediately transferring your money to a “safe” account ā which is really just theirs. They may also try to trick you into downloading an app that gives them remote control of your phone.
Read our latest blog article to learn how to protect yourself from these scams.