Welcome, log in to Online Banking
Important Notice
You are accessing a secure site with confidential information which is restricted to authorized persons only. Unauthorized access or use is not permitted and constitutes a crime punishable by law. Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Welcome, log in to Online Banking
Important Notice
You are accessing a secure site with confidential information which is restricted to authorized persons only. Unauthorized access or use is not permitted and constitutes a crime punishable by law. Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
September 08, 2021 · Credit, Investment, Savings, Security
Crime is as old as civilization, and it's always wise to be on the alert for anyone who may target you as a potential victim. Fraudsters may contact you randomly or target you specifically based on some personal information they have about you, such as an email address, phone number or the name of a company where you have an account. They can email or call you, pretending to be from a financial institution you have a relationship with, from the government (such as the Internal Revenue Service or Social Security Administration), or they may use the name of a well-known software company to alert you that something is wrong with your computer and they can fix it, either online or over the phone, for a fee. While fraud occurs everywhere, residents of some states appear to be more heavily targeted by scammers. A recent U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report noted that “The states with the highest per capita rates of reported fraud in 2020 were Nevada, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, and Georgia.”
Whether by email or phone, some of the scammers can be extremely convincing as they attempt to persuade you to give up information or money to them. Unfortunately, thousands of people get fleeced by fraudsters every year because the crooks are experienced, skilled, and always innovating new approaches to their potential victims. According to the FBI's 2020 Internet Crime Report, last year there were more than 240,000 complaints just on email phishing scams, with adjusted losses of more than $54 million. Those numbers are based on reported crimes; it's very likely that for various reasons, many more people did not report being defrauded of their money; this includes older Americans who are more likely to be victims of fraud. When these scammers convince someone to go along with their scheme, they often ask their victims to pay them money in unexpected and unconventional ways so the money can't be tracked. These payments often involve money laundering, which is illegal.
According to the U.S. government’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, “Money laundering is the process of making illegally-gained proceeds (i.e. "dirty money") appear legal (i.e. "clean"). Typically, it involves three steps: placement, layering and integration. First, the illegitimate funds are furtively introduced into the legitimate financial system. Then, the money is moved around to create confusion, sometimes by wiring or transferring through numerous accounts. Finally, it is integrated into the financial system through additional transactions until the "dirty money" appears "clean." Money laundering can facilitate crimes such as drug trafficking and terrorism, and can adversely impact the global economy.” According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime , “The estimated amount of money laundered globally in one year is 2 - 5% of global GDP, or $800 billion - $2 trillion in current US dollars.”
If anyone or any company asks that you pay them in an unusual way, you should refuse, since you may be drawn into a money-laundering effort. Common, traditional payment methods include:
If someone asks to be paid in a very non-standard way, don’t do it, since they may be engaged in illicit activity, including money laundering, and you would be assisting them—and you're probably getting cheated out of your money. People who take part in these fraud schemes or fall victim to one are called “ Money Mules,” and most people are unaware they are helping criminals launder money.
So, what are some odd, unusual payment methods? They can include:If you've been asked to pay a company or someone by money transfer services, you should be very careful. Always know who you’re paying. Scammers will often ask their victims to send money through money transfer services, wire transfers or online payment options built into financial accounts, such as Zelle®*. The FTC report mentioned above noted that “Bank transfers and payments accounted for the highest aggregate losses reported in 2020 ($314 million), while credit cards most frequently identified as the payment method in fraud reports.” Using these services is very similar to sending cash. You should be very careful about making digital payments with people and companies you don’t know and have no reason to trust. Delta Community offered some tips on using payment services in a blog post in September 2020.
To help protect its members—and comply with the federal Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)—Delta Community must report any suspicious account activity detected either by its systems and/or its staff, including any actions that may appear to support money laundering, which is covered by the BSA .
Below are a few of our recent blog and security posts on managing online personal security:
*Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.
©2023 Delta Community Credit Union.
Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.