Tips

It's important to take stock of your financial well-being to ensure you're protected against potential threats. Watch the video below for help conducting a quick financial check-up.

NOTE: UKFCU will never call, email or text you asking for any of your logins, personal information or passwords, nor will we ever ask you to purchase gift cards on our behalf in lieu of payment. 

If you suspect fraudulent activity, call us immediately at 859-264-4200 or 800-234-8528.

How can you tell if an email is safe? Even if you catch red flags like typos or poor grammar, an urgent demeanor or even a spoofed domain, how can you truly decipher the safety of an email? Two immediate steps you can take are to watch out for one of the most critical tell-tale signs of a phishing email — a mismatched or fake URL – and to hover.

How does hovering protect you?

Hovering not only allows you a moment to think before proceeding. It gives you the opportunity to see where a link is going to redirect you. Not all links lead to where they appear or insinuate they'll go. When you hover, check for the following to ensure you're safe and secure:

• If the email appears to be coming from a company, does the hover link match the website of the sender?
• Does the link have a misspelling of a well-known website (such as "Micorsoft.com")?
• Does the link redirect to a suspicious external domain that appears to look like the sender’s domain (e.g., micorsoft-support.com rather than microsoft.com)?
• Does the hover link show a URL that does not match where the context of the email claims it will take you?
• Do you recognize the link’s address or did you even expect to receive the link?
• Did you receive a blank email with long hyperlinks and no further information or context?

If you notice anything about the email that alarms you, don't click links, open attachments or even reply. If everything seems okay, but you're still not sure – verify! Ask your IT team or leadership if the email is legitimate before proceeding. Remember, you're the last line of defense to prevent cybercriminals from succeeding and making you or your company susceptible to an attack.

Content provided by KnowBe4.com | 12.28.21

To kids, piggybacking is when someone jumps on your back and you carry them around for a while. In the business world, piggybacking is when you let someone you don't know enter a door that you just opened. A lot of organizations rely on biometrics, key cards or even regular keys to open locked doors. These doors might let you into the building, parking garage or a particular office. Piggybacking is when someone you don't know waits for you to open a locked door and enters behind you.

Many people allow this to happen because they want to be courteous. While this may be a nice gesture in public places, at the workplace it could end up costing you. The bad guys, just like they would try and trick you with a fake email, are targeting your good nature to gain access to a secured building.

If someone you don't know is trying to enter the door behind you, there are things you can do to be courteous while following the rules:

• Ask them where they're going and who they're there to see, then escort them to the office of the person they claim to be seeing and verify that they're supposed to be there.
• Kindly decline to let them in and explain that your organization has a strict no-piggybacking rule.

Once the bad guys have access to your offices, they can plug into any internet outlets. They can also sit down at any open workstation or place infected USB keys around the hallways and bathrooms. Remember, when it comes to piggybacking, kindly decline or insist on escorting them to the person they're allegedly there to see.

Content provided by KnowBe4.com | 7.20.21

Technology provides convenience in our lives, but it requires that we share more information than ever. The security of this information, and the security of our devices, is not always guaranteed.

The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) recommends taking these important steps to keep your devices more secure:

• Use strong passwords. Passwords are a common form of authentication and are often the only barrier protecting your personal information. Some Internet-enabled devices are configured with default passwords to simplify setup. These default passwords are easily found online, so they don't provide any protection. Always create a strong password when making a new account or setting up a device. Use a different password for every system and account and never use a password based on personal information that can be easily accessed or guessed. See Choosing and Protecting Passwords for more information.
• Evaluate your security settings. Most devices offer a variety of features you can tailor to meet your needs and requirements. Enabling certain features that increase convenience may also increase your vulnerability. It's important to examine the settings, particularly security settings, and select options that meet your needs without putting you at increased risk. If you install a patch or a new version of software, or if you become aware of something that might affect your device, reevaluate your settings to make sure they're still appropriate. See Good Security Habits for more information.
• Ensure you have up-to-date software. When manufacturers become aware of vulnerabilities in their products, they often issue patches to fix the problem. Patches are software updates that fix a particular issue or vulnerability within your device’s software. Make sure to apply relevant patches as soon as possible to protect your devices. See Understanding Patches for more information.

Connect carefully. Once your device is connected to the Internet, it’s also connected to millions of other computers, which could give attackers access to your device. Consider whether you need continuous connectivity to the Internet. See Securing Your Home Network for more information.

Securing Your Account:

• We'll never ask you to send us your personal information, such as account numbers, card PINs, Social Security numbers* or Tax IDs over text or email.
• Enable biometric logins like fingerprint and facial recognition within your phone's settings for added security in your mobile banking app.
• Check your accounts frequently, verifying your purchases and withdrawals.

_{*When a member calls our Call Center, we may ask for your social security number for identity verification purposes.}

Protecting Your Identity:

• Periodically check through your credit reports to make sure your accounts are secured.
• Don't carry sensitive information in your wallet like your Social Security card or Medicare card.
• Keep personal documents in a secure place and shred sensitive documents when appropriate.

Security Resources:

• Sign up for our text and email alerts through Online Banking.
• Stay ahead of the game by learning more about Consumer Protection with our free Smart Money Center Courses.

Test your identity theft knowledge with this resource: Identity Theft IQ Test

While the Internet and computers offer many opportunities and advancements for businesses and individuals, they also open your door to predators and crooks. It's important to pay attention to who you are giving your confidential information to and make sure it's those you know and trust.

You should NEVER be asked for your confidential information over email. Email is not a secure method of transmitting information. If you feel you've received an email or are suspicious of someone trying to commit identity theft, it's very important that you report the scam quickly so law enforcement agencies can shut the fraudulent operations down.

Falcon Fraud Detection is provided to every UKFCU member with your debit and credit card. Falcon Fraud Detection reviews each suspicious transaction, reviews the cardholder account and calls the cardholder if necessary. The number for Falcon Fraud Center is 1-888-918-7313.