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Stay Alert for Spring Scams

Spring brings fresh air and a fresh wave of scams. Fraudsters take advantage of heavier online shopping, travel plans, and busy schedules with phishing emails, fake payment requests, and social‑engineering tricks designed to steal money or personal data. We’ve gathered the most common threats, the red flags to watch for, and the exact steps to protect yourself using card controls and secure digital banking features.

Common Scams

Phishing scams arrive as emails, texts, or social messages that look like they come from your credit union, a delivery service, or a government agency and ask you to click a link or “verify” information. Other common scams include fake payment requests that pressure you to send money via peer‑to‑peer apps like Venmo or wire transfers, imposter calls claiming to be from First New York or other financial institution, and account‑takeover attempts that use leaked credentials to reset logins and move funds. The Federal Trade Commission has a comprehensive guide to help spot fishing.

Red Flags

If a message demands immediate action, pressures you to pay via an unusual method, asks for one‑time passcodes or full Social Security numbers, contains unexpected links or attachments, or is written with odd spelling or tone, pause and verify. Scammers rely on urgency and confusion, but taking a breath and checking the source often stops fraud in its tracks. Whenever you’re unsure, open My First New York to check your accounts directly rather than following a link in an email or text.

Ways to Prepare

You can protect yourself with a few easy and practical steps:

• Utilize card management in My First New York so you can lock and unlock cards instantly and restrict purchases by merchant type or country. You can also turn on transaction notifications to stay up to date on all account activity.

• Use secure digital banking features such as biometric logins, two factor authentication, and unique, strong passwords stored in a password manager.

• On the mobile app, tap “More” in the bottom navigation or your profile icon in the top right corner and tap “Settings”. On a desktop, click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select “Settings”. From here, you will be able to make changes such as setting up account alerts, adding biometric logins, and updating your password or authentication methods.

• Review your accounts at least weekly for unfamiliar activity, particularly in the form of large or out of pattern purchases.

What to Do if Fraud Occurs

If you suspect fraud, act immediately:

• Lock the card or account in My First New York by tapping “More” > “My Tools” > “Card Management” in the mobile app or clicking “My Tools” > “Card Management” on a desktop. Alternatively, you can call member services at (518) 393-1326, Option 2 for assistance.

• Document the incident by saving emails, taking screenshots of suspicious texts, and noting transaction details including date, time, merchant, and amount.

• Report the issue to First New York by calling (518) 393-1326, Option 2 so the investigation and dispute process can begin and change passwords on affected accounts and any accounts that share the same password.

• If your personal information was exposed, consider placing a credit freeze or fraud alert with the major credit bureaus and filing an official report through federal resources such as the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Small protective tools and simple habits create strong defenses. Card controls let you stop a suspicious charge in seconds. Secure digital banking features reduce the risk of account takeover by restricting access to your account without proper identification. Regular account reviews and cautious clicking remove the opportunities scammers need to succeed.

Scams thrive on rushed decisions, so your best defenses are careful consideration and the right controls. Utilize card controls and secure digital banking features today to put practical protections between your money and would‑be fraudsters. If you’d like help setting up alerts, changing authentication methods, or reviewing your account security, our team can walk you through every step so you can enjoy spring with more peace of mind.