We’re all gearing up for some major online shopping with the holidays coming up. But what’s more important than checking off your gift list is protecting your account from fraud. Although Wescom uses the latest technology to monitor your account 24/7 for fraudulent activity, fraudsters are finding new ways to contact you and gain access to your account information. Here’s what to watch out for.
Phishing emails are sent to people with the intent of luring them to visit a fake website or to call a fake number to address an issue with their account. These emails may look like they are from retailers you are familiar with, but they are really from fraudsters. Once you visit the impostor site or call the phone number, you’ll be asked to provide personal information, potentially compromising your account. Go through this checklist when you receive an email from a retailer asking you to take action on your account:
When fraudsters pose as retailers, or even Wescom, they may ask you to download a mobile application that allows them to take control of your device and, in turn, access all of your personal information. Know that Wescom and other legitimate business will never ask you to do this. Here are other actions that Wescom and other business will never do:
Experts agree that fraud can only happen to you with your participation. To better ensure the safety of your accounts, it’s important to stay on the alert for fraud by setting up Account Alerts in eBranch to get real-time notifications of account activity. If you think unauthorized access or fraud has occurred in connection with your Wescom accounts, report it online at the Wescom Security Center or call 1-888-4WESCOM (1-888-493-7266) and press 2.
