Prize Scams

Prize Scams

Prize scams are scams where fraudsters attempt to gain personal information or money by saying that you have won a fake prize or by tempting you to give up your personal information to enter a contest. We have listed a few tips below to help you avoid becoming a victim of a prize scam:

• Never pay a fee or give out account information to receive your prize.
• Don't give out sensitive personal information to enter a contest or sweepstakes.
• Research the organization that has sent you a prize or contest information. Contact the organization to verify if the prize or contest is legitimate.
• Notify a postal inspector if you have received the prize scam in the mail.
• Check the postage on your prize notice. If it was sent bulk rate, then chances are it is a scam.

We’re Here for You!

If you do become a victim of a prize scam, notify Connected Credit Union immediately. Call the Augusta Branch at (207) 623-3857 or the Winslow Branch at (207) 872-2636 during business hours. Monitor your accounts for any unauthorized activity and ask us to provide heightened scrutiny of your accounts. You can also temporarily, freeze your credit through each of the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. It won’t impact your score, but it will prevent new credit from being taken out in your name. There is no fee and you can unfreeze it at any time. This is a very important step in protecting yourself and your good credit.

Disclaimer: Any reference made in this blog to a specific product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by Connected Credit Union of the product, process, or service, or its producer or provider.