MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union will never contact you via phone, text, or email to request your personal information, online banking credentials, debit/credit card information, or verification codes.  

Recently, we have become aware that some members are receiving fraudulent phone calls from individuals posing as representatives of the credit union. These scammers often use “spoofed” phone numbers to make it appear as though the call is coming from a legitimate MidSouth Community FCU number when in reality it is fake.   

We encourage members to remain vigilant and exercise caution when sharing personal information with callers whose identity cannot be verified. These fraudsters can be very convincing, making it difficult to recognize if a call is spoofed. Below are some tips from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to help protect yourself from fraudulent calls.  

• Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords, access codes, or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.  

• Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you do, hang up immediately.  

• You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be aware that caller ID showing a “local” number does not necessarily mean it is a local caller.  

• If you answer the phone and the caller – or a recording – asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.  

• Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes.”  

• If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller asks for a payment.  

• Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately. Scammers will act as reps from companies you trust, getting you to send money to resolve an “issue” that doesn’t exist. Be suspicious of companies reaching out, saying there’s a problem. Call the company directly to confirm. 

• If you have a voicemail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voicemail if you do not set a password.  

• Talk to your phone company about call-blocking tools they may have and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls.  

• If you use robocall-blocking technology already, it often helps to let that company know which numbers are producing unwanted calls so they can help block those calls for you and others.  

• To block telemarketing calls, register your number on the Do Not Call List. Legitimate telemarketers consult the list to avoid calling both landline and wireless phone numbers on the list. 

For additional information, visit the Federal Communications Commission’s website on Caller ID spoofing. 

If you believe someone may have obtained your sensitive personal information, visit IdentityTheft.gov to report identity theft and learn how to take the necessary steps to protect yourself.  

If you’ve given out your MidSouth Community FCU account information, please contact the credit union at 478.471.9946 immediately to report the activity.