Phishing and spoofing
Phishing and spoofing emails ask you to go to a fake website that looks like Iroquois Federal and provide your personal account information. These emails may even ask you to call a phone number and provide account information.

Ways to identify phishing and spoofing emails include:

• Requests for personal information. Iroquois Federal emails will never ask you to reply in an email with any personal information   such as your Social Security number, ATM or PIN.

• Urgent appeals. We will never claim your account may be closed if you fail to confirm, verify or authenticate your personal   information via email.

• Messages about system and security updates. We will never claim the need to confirm important information due to upgrades   and state that you must update your information online.

• Offers that sound too good to be true. For example, you may be asked to fill out a short customer service survey in exchange   for money, then be asked to provide your account number to receive the credit.

• Obvious typos and other errors. These are often the mark of fraudulent emails and websites. Be on the lookout for typos or   grammatical errors, awkward writing and poor visual design.

Money mules
Money mules are unsuspecting victims who become middlemen for criminals trying to launder stolen funds. Common indicators of a money mule scam include overseas companies requesting money transfer agents in the U.S., opening new bank accounts to receive money from someone you don't know, accepting large sums of money into your personal bank account for a new job and transferring or wiring funds out of your personal bank account to people you do not know. Victims of these scams may not only have their bank accounts closed and financial reputations ruined, but often are left financially responsible for returning any stolen funds.

Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, includes viruses, spyware and Trojans that are designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system, steal personal information and commit fraud. There are several easy ways you can minimize malware risk:

• Never download any file or attachment unless you are absolutely certain what it is and who provided it.
• Never click on an advertisement that asks for personal or financial information.
• Update your security and system software to protect your computer from malware threats.

Vishing
Vishing uses Voice over )Internet Protocol (VoIP) to leave an automated recording on your phone that says your account has experienced unusual activity. The message instructs you to call what appears to be an Iroquois Federal phone number (in fact, the caller ID has been fooled into displaying “Iroquois Federal”). Sometimes criminals also send emails and text messages containing fraudulent phone numbers. Rather than provide any information, you should contact us immediately to verify the validity of the message.

Help prevent fraud and identity theft when shopping online

With online shopping rising in popularity, there's a good chance you now make some of your purchases on the Web. To ensure your Internet shopping is as secure as it is convenient, we've compiled these online shopping guidelines and identity protection tips.

1. Know who you are buying from. If you haven't shopped at the retailer before, research it online to see what other customers are saying. Or call the customer service number to ask about their policies and guarantees. If the website doesn't include a phone number, email the company and start a dialogue with them before buying anything.

2. Never buy from spammers. Watch out for emails from companies you don't know offering to sell products at steep discounts. It's probably spam - an email sent indiscriminately to thousands of people. If you do buy from a spammer, chances are your purchase will be of poor quality - if you even get it. Or worse, the spammer could steal your credit or debit card number.

3. Use a secure means of payment. Credit cards are one of the safest ways to make online purchases.

Online payment services offer some protection as well. Never send cash or a wire transfer, as you will have little recourse if you don't get what you paid for.



4. Make sure the website is encrypted. Once you get to the purchase page, check that the address begins "https" rather than just "http" before hitting "send". The "s" means the site is secure, and your financial and personal information is encrypted before being sent over the Internet

5. Review the websites policies. Before making your purchase, review the websites online shopping and return policies. Make sure the site's commitment to customer service is what you'd expect from any retailer.

6. Keep your computer security current. Use a comprehensive security software tool to help prevent viruses, identity theft and fraud, and check for updates regularly to protect yourself from the latest threats.

7. Trust your instincts. If you have any doubts about the site, listen to your gut instincts and don't buy from them. Warning signs that the site may be illegitimate are lack of contact information and deals that are too good to be true - which means they probably are.

8. Review your bills and purchases. Print and save your online bills, and compare them to your credit card or bank statement to make sure you've been billed correctly. When your purchase arrives, check it immediately to make sure it's what you ordered and is of good quality.