Be Wary of Fraudsters Posing as Horizon

Your phone rings and the caller ID shows Horizon, Horizon Credit Union or the credit union’s 800#. You answer and the individual on the phone identifies themself as a credit union employee . They may even use the name of a person you’re familiar with at the credit union. So, it’s safe, right? Maybe not.

Fraudsters having gotten really good as posing as others. It’s a scam tactic called spoofing. Even looking up the names of employees on professional websites like LinkedIn, so they can confidently pose an employee of the credit union. It’s no wonder people fall victim to their scams.

What can you do to stay safe?

Hang up and call the credit union at 800.852.5316 – If you’re unsure in any way, just hang up and call us directly. But only call Horizon’s main number at 800.852.5316. Do not call any number the caller provides.

Never give out account information – This includes your account and credit or debit card numbers. We already have this information on file.

Never share security information – Your PIN, authorization codes (two-factor authentication codes used to log in to online and mobile banking) and other passwords are private. You shouldn’t share these with anyone, even Horizon employees.

Never give out personal information – We have your social security number, mother’s maiden name and address on file. If you call in to Horizon, we may ask for this information to verify we’re actually talking to you and not a scammer. However, we’ll never call you and request this information.

Protect your accounts – Horizon offers a variety of tools to monitor your accounts as well as your debit and credit cards including balance notifications, transaction alerts, temporarily freezing your card and more. Click here to learn more.

What to do if you think you’ve been a victim

Contact us immediately – We can help secure your account and cards including closing the account and opening a new one, if needed. Be sure to contact us at our primary phone number, 800.852.5316 or securely via chat in online banking.

Report the offender – Contact the FTC to report the spoofer.

Spoofing is just one of many scam tactics. To learn more about how to protect you and your accounts, visit our security page at hzcu.org/staysecure.