Stay Scam Aware

Urgent Text Messages

What the scam looks like:
You receive a text message that says something alarming such as:

• “Your account is locked.”
• “Your card is on hold.”
• “Suspicious activity detected.”

There will be a link asking you to “verify your information.”
Do not click it. These links are designed to steal your login information or drain your account.

How to detect it:

• The message feels urgent or threatening.
• The link looks strange or unfamiliar.
• The text is from a random number, not Texan Sky Credit Union.
• We will never ask you to click a link to unlock your account.

What if it looks legit?

Scammers are getting very good at spoofing, which means they can make a message look like it came from “Apple,” “Texan Sky,” or even a family member. Here are simple ways to double-check before you trust it.

To check if it’s real on an iPhone, tap the name at the top, tap the info (i) button, and look at the actual phone number or email. Compare it to your saved contacts. If the email address is strange or the message tries to create panic, delete it. When in doubt, don’t click, call the real person or company yourself.

How to protect yourself:

• Delete the message immediately.
• Call us directly or call Transfund for card questions.
• Never confirm your account number, social security number, or online banking login through a text message.

Money Request Messages

What the scam looks like:
Scammers send emails or texts pretending to be a grandchild, child, or close family member. They often say things like:

• “I’m in trouble and need money quickly.”
• “I’m embarrassed and can’t ask anyone else.”
• “I’m trying to make a down payment and need help today.”

They might ask you to send money, gift cards, or wire transfers.

How to detect it:

• They pressure you to act fast.
• They ask you to keep it a secret.
• Their grammar, tone, or wording doesn’t sound like the actual family member.
• The phone number or email address isn’t one you recognize.

How to protect yourself:

• Don’t respond
• Call the family member using their normal phone number
• Check with another family member
• Real emergencies do not require secrecy

Online Quizzes or Activities 

Many of the scams affecting our members don’t begin with a threatening message, they begin with something that looks harmless, even fun. 

Things like:

• Facebook quizzes
• “What’s your cowboy name?” or “What was your first car?” posts
• Viral games asking for your pet’s name or childhood street
• Posts asking everyone to share their graduation year
• Online games or apps that ask permission to “access your profile”
• Comment threads that feel nostalgic or social

They seem innocent but scammers use them to quietly collect your personal information. Scammers use a tactic called spear-phishing. That simply means: They gather small pieces of information about you specifically so they can trick you specifically. Unlike regular phishing, which is sent to thousands of people at once, spear-phishing is targeted. They learn things like your hometown, school name, age, pets, and hobbies to build a message that sounds believable because of what they already know.

By collecting these answers over time, scammers can:

• Guess your passwords
• Reset your online accounts
• Pretend to be you or a family member
• Create extremely convincing messages

How to Protect Yourself:

• Skip quizzes or viral posts asking personal details.
• Limit what strangers can see on your Facebook profile.
• Use strong security questions, not ones with answers people can find on your profile.

Spam Calls

This is one of the most serious scams we’re seeing and it has potential loss of funds in some cases because it's so tricky.

What the scam looks like:

A scammer calls or emails pretending to be:

• A banker “helping” your family member
• A credit union employee
• A “fraud department”
• A loan officer
• Someone assisting your grandchild with a payment or emergency

They often sound professional, use real names, and explain a situation that seems believable. The important piece we cannot stress enough, when you follow the scammers instructions and initiate transfers or authorize wires or similar payments, funds are almost always unrecoverable due to authorization. 

How to detect it:

• They tell you to move money “for safety”
• They pressure you to act quickly
• They tell you to keep it secret
• They give a phone number and ask you to call back
• They insist they work with your family member

How to protect yourself:

• A real credit union employee will NEVER ask you to transfer money to a “safe account.”
• Always call your family member FIRST using the number saved in your contacts.
• If you can’t reach them, call another trusted family member.
• Do not use the phone number the caller gives you.

Again and So Important:
Once you authorize a transfer, the money may not be recoverable.
Verifying before you act is so important.