<p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20">Planning a vacation should be exciting! With summer just around the corner, many SECU members are starting to make plans for summer fun. Unfortunately, travel season also brings an increase in fraud and scam activity. As your credit union, our priority is helping you protect your hard-earned money so you can focus on making memories, not disputing charges. Vacation scams are becoming more sophisticated, targeting travelers through fake rental listings, fraudulent car reservations, and payment schemes designed to drain accounts quickly. Awareness is your first line of defense. Here are some of the most common vacation-related scams and what you can do to protect yourself.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><b><span style="color:#231f20">Fake Rental Property Listings</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20">Scammers copy legitimate listings from sites like Airbnb and Vrbo, then repost them at a discounted price. They often pressure travelers to pay outside the platform via wire transfer, gift cards, or peer-to-peer payment apps.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><u><span style="color:#231f20">What to do:</span></u><span style="color:#231f20"> Always book directly through reputable platforms and keep communication and payments within the site. Verify URLs before making your payment, be cautious of deals that seem “too good to be true,” and never send payment through untraceable methods. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><b><span style="color:#231f20">Fraudulent Car Rental Deals</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20">Fake websites impersonate well-known companies such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car or Hertz and advertise steep discounts and request full prepayment. Once payment is made, the reservation doesn’t exist.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><u><span style="color:#231f20">What to do:</span></u><span style="color:#231f20"> Type the company’s web address directly into your browser rather than clicking on ads or links. Verify reservations by calling the company’s official customer service number.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><b><span style="color:#231f20">Payment and “Emergency” Money Scams</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20">Travelers are often targeted by phishing emails or text messages claiming a booking issue or urgent travel problem. Others receive calls from someone pretending to be a family member stranded and in need of immediate funds.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><u><span style="color:#231f20">What to do:</span></u><span style="color:#231f20"> Pause before responding. Verify requests independently using trusted contact information. Never share account numbers, login credentials, or one-time passcodes. Don’t click links in your email or texts unless you’ve verified them, and if you’re unsure of an incoming call, hang up and call a verified number back directly.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><b><span style="color:#231f20">Public Wi-Fi and Card Skimming Risks</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20">Using unsecured public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels, or cafes can expose your financial information. Similarly, compromised ATMs or gas pumps can capture plastic card data with just one swipe.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><u><span style="color:#231f20">What to do:</span></u><span style="color:#231f20"> Avoid accessing sensitive financial accounts on public Wi-Fi. Use mobile data or a secure connection when possible and monitor your accounts regularly through online or mobile banking. Look for signs of tampering at ATMs and gas pumps and check your credit card statements on a regular basis.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20">Before you travel, consider adding your SECU cards to MyCards within Net24. Receive real-time alerts of spends, set limitations, and turn your cards “off” when not being used. Notify us of your travel through MyCards, and review your transactions regularly to help fight fraud.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20"></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="line-height:14.0pt"><span style="color:#231f20">Your vacation should be about rest and relaxation, not financial recovery. We’re here to help you travel confidently and keep your finances secure every step of the way.</span></span></p>
