What is Smishing?

Smishing is a combination of "phishing" and SMS (text messaging). Smishing is an attempt to criminally and fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an Text Message.

US Federal Credit Union will never ask you via text to verify account information. We will never use text messaging to threaten account closure. If ever you are asked to go to a web site or call a phone number via text, do not follow that url or call that number. Check your account through your normal log-in process and call the number you have listed for USFCU.

Smishing is especially dangerous because it can not only put your account and computer in danger if you follow a link, but rarer scams can infect your phone with a virus directly.

Other safeguards to help protect you from phishing scams:

• Be suspicious of any text messages that claim to be from us and use an urgent or scare-tactic tone.
• Do not respond to text messages asking you to verify personal information
• If you do open a suspicious text message, do not open any attachments or click any links, do not call any phone numbers.

If you see a suspicious-looking text message claiming to be from US Federal Credit Union, please let us know. We continually monitor such reports and act on them promptly. Additionally, also consider contacting the FBI's Internet Fraud Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov/.